Singapore, October 05 (QNA) - The US dollar held near a 17-month high on Monday as investors weighed fading expectations of a Federal Reserve rate hike this month against mounting fiscal concerns in France that sent the euro to its lowest level in 17 months.

The euro fell sharply to $1.1161 in Asian trading, its weakest level since May 2025, as a sell-off in French government bonds and concerns over the country's debt and political outlook fueled fears that financial stress could spread across the euro zone.

The dollar's resilience came despite weaker-than-expected US jobs data, which tempered expectations for near-term Fed tightening. Elevated US Treasury yields and demand for the greenback as a safe-haven asset have continued to underpin the currency, however.

The Swiss franc stood at 0.8286 per dollar and 0.9312 per euro, after gaining more than 1% last week. The Australian dollar was little changed at $0.6956, while the New Zealand dollar slipped 0.1% to $0.5610. (QNA)