NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- The dollar gained versus the British pound and other major currencies on Friday before a report expected to show U.S. existing-home sales improved last month. The dollar index (DXY 75.32, +0.22, +0.29%) , a measure of the U.S. currency against a trade-weighted basket of rivals, rose to 75.268 from 75.047 in North American activity late Thursday. The euro traded at $1.5039 from 41.5023 Thursday. The dollar bought 91.87 Japanese yen from 91.36 yen on Thursday. The pound dropped 1.3% versus the dollar after an unexpected drop in gross domestic product raised concerns of further quantitative easing from U.K. officials. In a report released at 10 a.m. Eastern time, existing home sales are forecast to rise to a 5.38 million pace in September, according to the media estimate of economists surveyed by MarketWatch.
