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New York - The dollar gained against other major currencies except the yen Friday, amid rising worries about global growth, particularly the eurozone's stuttering economy.
The dollar pushed solidly higher against the euro, which fell to $1.2672 around 21:00 GMT from $1.2691 late Thursday.
"Global sentiment was stymied by growing concerns about overseas economies, which have been exacerbated by uncertainty regarding whether the European Central Bank (ECB) can successfully foster a recovery," said Charles Schwab in a market note.
The dollar had paused its march higher against the euro earlier this week after the US Federal Reserve's minutes showed the Fed was worried about the greenback's 10% gain over the past five months, which could yet hurt the US recovery and thereby hold back a rise in interest rates.
But on Thursday the euro weakened again after comments by ECB chief Mario Draghi, who signalled the central bank stood ready to expand easy-money actions if the eurozone needed it.
In a statement to the International Monetary Fund on Friday, Draghi reaffirmed that commitment.
He admitted that slowing demand was now a factor in pulling down inflation, now at 0.3% in the 18-nation bloc and seen as a clear indicator of the risk of the eurozone returning to recession.
Draghi stressed to the IMF that if more action is needed to fight low inflation, "the ECB's Governing Council is unanimous in its commitment to using additional unconventional instruments."
Nick Bennenbroek, head of currency strategy at Wells Fargo Securities, noted the dollar's significant gains over the past several weeks, pointing out that the Fed's policy outlook "has turned mildly more hawkish" and the US labor market had continued to improve.
"However, given the greenback's sharp gains and extended positioning, we see corrective weakness in the near-term before renewed US dollar gains in 2015."
