The US dollar hit a fresh seven-month low against the euro on Wednesday, despite a second straight day of strong US economic data.

Durable goods orders came in 6.1 per cent higher in March, well above expectations for a rise of 1.8 per cent. Aircraft orders, a volatile measure, played its part in the rise, but even stripping this out, the “core” measure of non-defence capital goods ex-aircraft rose 3 per cent month-on-month.