The US dollar index edged up to 98.3 on Thursday but remained weak overall as investors weighed a string of soft economic data and its implications for the Federal Reserve’s policy outlook. The latest ADP report showed private businesses added just 54,000 jobs in August, a sharp slowdown from July’s upwardly revised 106,000 and well below expectations of 65,000. Additional data this week pointed to further labor market cooling and weakening demand, with job openings sliding to 7.18 million in July - the lowest since September 2024 -and factory orders declining for a second straight month. Markets are now pricing in a near-certain 25 basis-point Fed rate cut later this month. Attention will next turn to Friday’s nonfarm payrolls report, seen as the key release guiding near-term market direction.