* High-yielders slip as global, U.S. stock markets mixed
* U.S. new home sales, durable goods orders rose in July
* China plans to curb investment hit global growth hopes
* German Ifo sentiment poll hits highest in nearly 1 year
(Recasts; updates prices, adds comment, details, changes
byline)
By Steven C. Johnson
NEW YORK, Aug 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. dollar rose on
Wednesday as news that China would act to restrict redundant
investments underscored concerns about a global recovery and
tempered the positive impact of data showing a jump in new U.S.
home sales.
Reports that China intends to curb excessive investment in
a range of industries "hurts the strong global growth outlook
and is one of the things moving the dollar today," said Chuck
Butler, president of Everbank World Markets in St. Louis. For
more, please see []
Investors tend to buy the dollar and yen as safe havens or
unwind trades in higher-yielding assets financed with the U.S.
and Japanese currencies when recovery optimism fades.
Two reports offered some encouragement about the health of
the U.S. economy. A rise of 9.6 percent in new homes sales in
July was the fastest pace in nearly a year. []
U.S. durable goods orders also rose in July, but a key
measure of business demand -- non-defense capital goods,
excluding aircraft -- fell, reminding investors the economy
still faces huge challenges. []
Analysts also said traders were using the mixed signals
global growth signals to lock in profits booked earlier this
week as foreign currencies rose against the dollar.
The euro was last down 0.5 percent at $1.4230 <EUR=> and
0.4 percent at 134.12 yen <EURJPY=>.
The dollar edged up 0.1 percent to 94.19 yen <JPY=>.
Sterling fell to a six-week low against the dollar and was last
off 0.8 percent to $1.6215 <GBP=>. The euro hit a 2-1/2-month
high against the pound above 88 pence <EURGBP=>.
High-yielding and commodity-linked currencies such as the
Australian dollar also fell after European equities snapped
four straight sessions of gains led by commodity stocks.
Some analysts said the recent trend that's seen the dollar
weaken on good economic news may be starting to fade.
"The new home sales data was good, there's no doubt about
it. The question is, are signs that the U.S. economy is
starting to bottom good for the U.S. dollar or for other
currencies," said David Watt, senior strategist at RBC Capital
Markets in Toronto.
But he also said it will take more evidence that a U.S.
recovery is on track to answer this question.
Earlier in the session, the euro got a brief boost after
the Munich-based Ifo think-tank's business climate index rose
in July. []
Andrew Wilkinson, market strategist at Interactive Brokers
in Greenwich, Connecticut, argued that dollar weakness may be a
"longer-run certainty," but it does not seem to fit in the
current environment when a global recovery remains shaky.
"We would not be surprised to see more investors throw in
the towel on the euro in favor of a dollar that may yet push
back below $1.40 before August is through," he added.
