The dollar pared losses Tuesday against major counterparts after the Commerce Department said new construction of houses fell to a record low in April, a bigger drop than economists expected. The dollar index , which measures the greenback against a basket of rivals, slid to 82.309 from 82.660 in late North American trading Monday. The euro advanced to $1.3587 from $1.3535. Versus the Japanese currency, the dollar fell to 95.97 yen from 96.37 yen late Monday. The report also said building permits fell to a record low, also below forecasts.
