Greenback improves for second session as......>

FOREX: Greenback improves for second session as Fed effect lingers

-The USD index rallied further Thursday, trimming the gap with multi-year highs

printed last week to just 0.5%. The firmer USD shrugged off weaker weekly jobs

numbers, but better factory orders and strong durable goods revisions lent some

support. Reports from China's Global Times suggesting US-China trade talks had

reached an 'impasse' elicited a risk-off response, which helped carry the

greenback further.

-GBP's reaction to the Bank of England rate decision was muted, despite Governor

Carney explicitly stating that insufficient hikes are priced into the curve. GBP

weakened against most others as market judge the prospects of a rate hike as low

while Brexit remains unsolved.

-NOK was comfortably the poorest performer in G10 as oil prices retreated

sharply and as Norway's manufacturing PMI fell well below forecast (twinned with

a negative revision).

-Focus turns to the April nonfarm payrolls report, UK and Australian services

PMI and Eurozone CPI estimates.