* U.S. payrolls grow more than expected, jobless rate hits 3.6%
* Euro rebounds from one-week lows following U.S. payrolls data
* Fed's Evans, Bullard raise concerns about low U.S. inflation
* Aussie, Kiwi under pressure as rate-cut speculation builds
* Graphic: World FX rates in 2019 http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh (Updates market action, changes dateline, previous LONDON)
By Richard Leong
NEW YORK, May 3 (Reuters) - The dollar slipped against a basket of currencies on Friday as traders focused on the weaker aspects in the April U.S. payrolls report, brushing aside a stronger-than-forecast in hiring and a drop in the jobless rate to an over 49-year low.
Traders turned their attention to the modest 0.2% monthly pace of wage growth and the drop in the job participation rate, which analysts blamed for the catalysts for some selling in the greenback. soft details didn't provide a compelling reason to add to already pretty big long dollar positions," said Eric Viloria, currency strategist at Credit Agricole (PA:CAGR) in New York.
At 11 a.m. (1500 GMT), an index that tracks the greenback against a basket of six currencies .DXY was 0.2% lower at 97.641, adding to its weekly decline of 0.3%.
The euro EUR= was up 0.17% at $1.11915, while the dollar was 0.25% weaker at 111.24 yen.
The single currency was on track to gain 0.3% versus the greenback, while the dollar was set to fall 0.2% against the yen.
Adding to the downward pressure on the dollar was a surprise drop in a measure of U.S. services activity from the Institute for Supply Management to a 20-month low in April. comments from two regional Federal Reserve chiefs supported bets the U.S. central bank might lower key lending rates by the end of the year even though Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said two days earlier he did not see the need to raise or cut rates right now. Fed President Charles Evans said at an event in Stockholm that lower U.S. rates may be needed if the economy softens. Louis Fed President James Bullard told CNBC television the Fed's policy rate is "a little tight" and that current readings of inflation are uncomfortably low. rates futures implied traders saw about a 52% chance the Fed would lower rates at its Dec. 10-11 policy meeting, compared with 50% late on Thursday, according to the CME Group's FedWatch program.
Among other major currencies, the Australian and New Zealand dollars have fallen on speculation both countries' central banks will lower interest rates next week.
The Reserve Bank of Australia meets on May 7 and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand a day after. Each may cut rates after low inflation reports, analysts said.
The Aussie AUD=D4 was up 0.29% at $0.702, while the Kiwi NZD=D4 was 0.45% higher at $0.6647. ========================================================
Currency bid prices at 11:03AM (1503 GMT) Description
RIC
Last
U.S. Close Pct Change
YTD Pct
High Bid
Low Bid
Previous
Change
Session
Euro/Dollar
EUR=
$1.1188
$1.1176
+0.11%
-2.45%
+1.1194
+1.1136 Dollar/Yen
111.2400
111.5000
-0.23%
+0.89%
+111.6800 +111.1900 Euro/Yen
EURJPY=
124.48
124.58
-0.08%
-1.38%
+124.6500 +124.2900 Dollar/Swiss
CHF=
1.0175
1.0191
-0.16%
+3.68%
+1.0214
+1.0170 Sterling/Dollar GBP=
1.3119
1.3034
+0.65%
+2.84%
+1.3122
+1.2990 Dollar/Canadian CAD=
1.3413
1.3472
-0.44%
-1.63%
+1.3489
+1.3406 Australian/Doll AUD=
0.7019
0.7000
+0.27%
-0.43%
+0.7020
+0.6986 ar
Euro/Swiss
EURCHF=
1.1386
1.1388
-0.02%
+1.17%
+1.1398
+1.1373 Euro/Sterling
EURGBP=
0.8527
0.8574
-0.55%
-5.09%
+0.8587
+0.8525 NZ
NZD=
0.6645
0.6616
+0.44%
-1.07%
+0.6652
+0.6607 Dollar/Dollar
Dollar/Norway
8.7070
8.7544
-0.54%
+0.79%
+8.7876
+8.7089 Euro/Norway
EURNOK=
9.7447
9.7805
-0.37%
-1.65%
+9.8134
+9.7434 Dollar/Sweden
SEK=
9.5448
9.5769
-0.16%
+6.48%
+9.6130
+9.5447 Euro/Sweden
EURSEK=
10.6818
10.6985
-0.16%
+4.07%
+10.7130
+10.6757