LONDON, July 2 - The dollar held steady on Wednesday, still nursing losses from disappointing U.S. data earlier in the week but tightly rangebound ahead of U.S. factory orders and comments from Federal Reserve chief Alan Greenspan. Greenspan makes opening remarks at a Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia exhibit at 1700 GMT. The U.S. Commerce Department is expected to report at 1400 GMT factory orders were flat in May after dropping 2.9 percent in April.
By 0650 GMT, the dollar was flat on the day at $1.1545 per euro , but down around a cent and a half from its best levels this week just beyond $1.1400. On Tuesday, the Institute for Supply Management reported that U.S. manufacturing activity in June contracted, albeit at a slower pace than in May, disappointing economists and investors who were betting on an expansion in the hard-hit sector. However, markets are so far reluctant to take large positions before all of this week's figures -- included June jobless numbers on Thursday -- and ahead of the long Independence Day weekend in the U.S.//