American focus: the pound has fallen significantly against the U.S. currency

The euro exchange rate fell slightly against the dollar amid inflation data in the eurozone and the U.S. labor market. Eurozone inflation slowed in July to its lowest level in four and a half years, mainly due to falling energy prices, showed on Thursday, preliminary data from Eurostat. Inflation slowed to 0.4 percent in July from 0.5 percent in June. Inflation is expected to remain unchanged at 0.5 percent. This is the lowest figure since the beginning of price growth since November 2009. Core inflation, excluding energy, food, alcohol and tobacco remained unchanged at 0.8 percent in July. Energy prices fell by 1 percent, and prices for food, alcohol and tobacco fell by 0.3 percent. At the same time, the prices of non-energy industrial goods remained in the flat, and the cost of services increased by 1.3 percent.

Meanwhile, a report by the United States has shown that the number of initial claims for unemployment benefits rose by 23,000 and amounted to a seasonally adjusted 302,000 in the week ended July 26. Data were slightly better than expected. Economists on average had forecast 306,000 initial claims. Treatment in the previous week were revised up to 279,000, the lowest level since May 2000. The four-week moving average of claims, which smooths out weekly volatility, fell by 3,500 to 297,250 - the lowest level since April 2006. The report also showed: number of workers continuing to receive unemployment benefits increased by 31,000 and reached a seasonally adjusted 2.54 million in the week ended July 19.

British pound retreated from a session low against the dollar, but continues to trade with a noticeable decrease since yesterday upbeat data on U.S. economic growth continue to support demand for the U.S. currency. We also add that yesterday the Fed in its decision on the rate stated that the labor market is still considerable slack, despite the recent acceleration of job growth, and pointed out that while the rates remain at current levels. The central bank also said that inflation is rising and approaching the long-term target level.

Also had little effect on Britain today's data, which showed that house price growth slowed in July, lagging behind the expectations of economists. Mortgage lender Nationwide said that house prices rose by 10.6 percent compared with the previous year in July, an increase of the seventeenth consecutive month, and followed growth of 11.8 percent in June. This was less than the growth of 11.3 percent expected by economists. On a monthly basis, prices rose at the slowest pace since April 2013, by 0.1 percent in July - much slower than the increase of 1 percent in June and 0.5 percent growth expected by economists. The average price of a house rose to 188,949 pounds from 188,903 pounds in June.

The Canadian dollar has appreciated strongly against its U.S. counterpart, received support from the Canadian GDP data. The Canadian economy grew at the fastest pace in four months in May, driven by growth in the manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, energy and construction. Gross domestic product (the total amount of goods and services produced in the country) grew by 0.4% to 1.62 trillion Canadian dollars ($ 1,490 billion), accelerating compared with an increase in each of the previous two months by 0.1%. This Statistics Canada said Thursday. Rise exceeded market expectations (0.3%). In annualized growth rose to 2.3% from 2.1%. In the services sector grew by 0.4 release%, corresponding strengthening of the previous month. In the production of goods issue recovered from the recession in the previous month, an increase of 0.5% - this is the largest increase since February.