Dollar mixed amid US data

The U.S. dollar traded mixed against major currencies Tuesday amid a series of encouraging U.S. economic data. U.S. orders for manufactured durable goods unexpectedly rose 0. 8 percent to 239.9 billion U.S. dollars in April thanks to a surge in demand for defense capital goods, the U.S. Commerce Department said Tuesday. The reading stood largely above market consensus. U.S. consumer confidence improved moderately in May as expected, with the index rising to 83.0 in May from 81.7 in the prior month, the New York-based research group Conference Board said Tuesday. Moreover, the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, a leading measure of U.S. home prices, showed the 20-City Composite Index gained 0.9 percent in March on a monthly basis, according to data released by S&P Dow Jones Indices Tuesday. Meanwhile, the euro is heading for the biggest monthly loss against the dollar since January. European Central Bank President Mario Draghi Monday expressed his concerns about low inflation, falling inflation expectations and credit in some countries, which fueled speculations that the central bank may take more easing measures. In late New York trading, the euro rose to 1.3635 dollars from 1.3632 dollars of the previous session, and the British pound decreased to 1.6810 dollars from 1.6831 dollars. The Australian dollar climbed to 0.9259 dollars from 0.9236 dollars. The dollar bought 101.97 Japanese yen, higher than 101.96 yen of the previous session. The dollar went up to 0.8968 Swiss francs from 0.8955 Swiss francs, and it moved down to 1.0858 Canadian dollars from 1.0871 Canadian dollars.