Forex Market Update

The ICE U.S. Dollar Index finished lower for the third week in a row Friday as a mixture of weak U.S. data and signs of growth in the eurozone threatened the buck’s seven-month rally.

The dollar index DXY, +0.00% which measures the dollar’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six rival currencies, was up 0.1% Friday to 94.1910, but finished the week 0.5% lower. The euro comprises nearly 60% of the index’s value.

The euro EURUSD, -0.11%  was at $1.1387, compared with $1.1407 Thursday. It was at 135.28 yen in recent trade, compared with ¥135.66. Against Britain’s currency, the euro EURGBP, -0.20%  was buying 73.93 pence versus 74.13 pence on Thursday.

The pound GBPUSD, +0.08%  recorded a weekly gain against the dollar for the first time in five weeks, fueled by the BOE’s suggestion on Thursday that it could raise interest rates in 2016. It traded at $1.5397 Friday, compared with $1.5388 Thursday.

Gasoline Market Update

Back on Nymex, March gasoline RBH5, +1.63%  rose 1.9% to $1.626 a gallon to end the week with a 4.3% gain, while March heating oil HOH5, +3.03%  settled at $1.971 a gallon, up 3% for the session and up over 7% for the week.

Natural gas for March delivery NGH15, +3.06%  turned higher to settle 9.1 cents, or 3.4%, higher at $2.804 per million British thermal units after a drop of 3% a day earlier. It was up 8.7% for the week.

Oil Market Update

U.S. crude-oil futures on Friday scored a third straight weekly gain, with prices for the Brent contract marking their highest settlement of the year on the back of spending cuts by oil companies and further declines in the number of active U.S. oil rigs.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, crude for delivery in March CLH5, +2.81%  rose $1.57, or 3.1%, to settle at $52.78 a barrel—up about 2.1% for the week.