Dollar mixed as Obama speaks on Syria

Investing.com - The U.S. dollar traded mixed against most of its major rivals during Wednesday’s Asian session as U.S. President Barack Obama addressed the nation regarding the situation in Syria. 

In Asian trading Wednesday, EUR/USD rose 0.05% to 1.3274 after Obama said Bashar al-Assad’s regime was responsible for using chemical weapons on Syrian citizens. 

"In the days leading up to August 21st, we know that Assad’s chemical weapons personnel prepared for an attack near an area where they mix sarin gas. They distributed gas masks to their troops. Then they fired rockets from a regime-controlled area into 11 neighborhoods that the regime has been trying to wipe clear of opposition forces. Shortly after those rockets landed, the gas spread, and hospitals filled with the dying and the wounded," said Obama in his speech. 

GBP/USD inched up 0.01% to 1.5734 as sterling continues to trade near multi-month highs against the greenback. On Wednesday, the U.K. is to release government data on the change in the number of unemployed people, the overall unemployment rate and average earnings. 

USD/JPY fell 0.05% to 100.35 after the Bank of Japan said the country’s corporate goods price index rose 2.4% in August after a 2.2% increase in July. Analysts expected the August increase of 2.4%. 

In a separate report, Japan’s Ministry of Finance said the BSI large manufacturing conditions reading soared to 15.2 in the second quarter following a first-quarter reading of 5. Analysts expected the survey of manufacturing conditions to read 7.2 for the second quarter. 

USD/CHF inched up 0.02% to 0.9352 while USD/CAD fell 0.05% to 1.0345 after the American Petroleum Institute said U.S. oil inventories fell by 2.9 million barrels last week. Analysts expected a draw-down of 2 million barrels. Gasoline stockpiles increased by 195,000 barrels while distillate supplies climbed by 807,000 barrels. 

AUD/USD fell 0.14% to 0.9301 while NZD/USD lost 0.12% to 0.8059 on weak appetite for riskier currencies. The U.S. Dollar Index inched down 0.02% to 81.79.