The dollar rose for the first time in three days versus the euro as investors sought the safety of the U.S. currency after manufacturing data from Norway and Sweden added to speculation Europe’s debt crisis is slowing growth. The U.S. currency gained against all except two of its 16 major counterparts as economists said as American report today will show manufacturing growth slowed in October. The yen fell before the Bank of Japan releases minutes tomorrow of its October meeting amid speculation the central bank will ease monetary policy. The impact of Hurricane Sandy on U.S. gross domestic product is still being assessed with some estimates that the storm caused as much as $50 billion of damage. “The bias is towards a slightly firmer dollar,� said Steven Barrow, head of group-of-10 research at Standard Bank Plc in London. “Growth concerns are first and foremost, more so in the euro zone, and that’s not withstanding we’re trying to work out how much the storm will cost GDP data in the U.S.� The dollar appreciated 0.2 percent to $1.2937 per euro at 9:46 a.m. London time after dropping 0.4 percent over the previous two days. The U.S. currency gained 0.3 percent to 80 yen. The yen dropped 0.1 percent to 103.49 per euro. Norwegian manufacturing contracted for a fifth month in October, according to a seasonally adjusted index based on responses from purchasing managers. The gauge fell to 48.7 from a revised 49.1 in September, Oslo-based Fokus Bank said. A Swedish index fell to 43.1 from 44.7, Stockholm-based Swedbank AB said. To contact the reporter on this story: Lucy Meakin in London at lmeakin1@bloomberg.net To contact the editor responsible for this story: Paul Dobson at pdobson2@bloomberg.net.

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