NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar fell to five-month lows against a basket of currencies on Friday as evidence of an easing global recession drove investors to snap up higher-yielding currencies and riskier assets. Global stocks rose and some equities markets posted new 2009 highs, diminishing the safe haven allure of dollar assets, and the euro touched a 2009 high against the dollar. A government report showed the U.S. economy contracted slightly less than initially estimated in the first quarter but the market had expected evidence of a shallower recession. "The dollar is being slapped around," said Boris Schlossberg, director of foreign exchange research at GFT, in New York. "The market is now getting realistic about this recovery. There will be a recovery, but it will be tepid." In morning trading in New York, the dollar index, a gauge of the U.S. currency's performance against six major currencies, fell 1.4 percent to 79.415, having earlier hit 79.403, its lowest since mid December. It is now down more than 6 percent for the month, on track for its biggest monthly fall since 1985. The euro struck its highest level this year against the dollar at $1.4134, according to Reuters data, before paring gains to $1.4095, still up 1.15 percent on the day. The dollar fell 1.3 percent to 95.63 yen, due partly to selling by Japanese exporters, but was well above a two-month trough of 93.85 yen marked last week.

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