The dollar was mixed against major currencies on Wednesday amid weak economic data and a partly optimistic report from the US Federal Reserve.

US industrial production contracted by 1.5 percent in March, the US Federal Reserve reported on Wednesday. It was wider than a 1.0 percent loss expected by analysts.

Capacity utilization fell to 69.3 percent in March, the record low since the Fed started publishing the data in 1967. The annualized drop in the first quarter is 20 percent, the largest drop since the first quarter of 1975.

The US Labor Department reported that consumer price index (CPI) fell 0.1 percent in March, compared to a 0.1 percent increase estimated by analysts. The CPI fell 0.4 percent year-on-year, the worst since August 1955.

The Fed reported in its Beige Book released on Wednesday that although overall economic activities kept declining, there were signs of stabilizing in some districts. In the twelve districts covered by the report, some reported reductions in the rate of decline or slight increase of consumer spending.

The euro bought US$1.3191 in late New York trading compared with US$1.3293 it bought late Tuesday. The pound rose to US$1.4961 from US$1.4940.

The dollar fell to CA$1.2072 from CA$1.2128, and rose to 1.1441 Swiss francs from 1.1356 Swiss francs. It rose to 99.20 Japanese yen from 98.85 Japanese yen.

(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2009)