The dollar ended the week with mixed results against its rivals, after China posted better-than-expected factory data and ongoing uncertainty over when the Fed will begin to taper its $85 billion a month bond buying program continued to dominate the market.The Canadian dollar strengthened in the afternoon session, posting its biggest gain in a week, after better-than-expected factory data for China fueled bets that demand for raw materials will rise. The news came after an unexpected rise in Canadian unemployment sent the looney reeling during the morning session, falling to a low of 1.0277 against the dollar.USD/CAD ended the U.S. session down 0.44% at 1.0283.Meanwhile the dollar strengthened against the euro after French industrial output figures failed to meet expectations. Industrial production in France dropped 1.4% in June, well below expectations for a 0.1% rise. The previous month’s figure was revised up to a 0.3% fall from a previously estimated 0.4% decline.The news is a hammer blow to the eurozone which has seen positive data of late, convincing even the most ardent sceptic that Europe was over the worst.EUR/USD ended the U.S. session down 0.25% at 1.3346.There are signs the recovery is still on track in the UK however, after official data showed that the U.K. trade deficit narrowed more than expected in June, improving to £8.08 billion from a deficit of £8.67 billion the previous month. Analysts had expected the deficit to narrow to £8.5 billion in June.The pound still finished below the dollar after posting strong gains all week. There are signs investors are buying the dollars dip in expectation the U.S. will be the first major government to ease back monetary stimulus.GBP/USD ended the session down 0.16% at 1.5513.And the Australian dollar rose to its highest level in more than a week, despite the Reserve Bank of Australia lowering its growth outlook to 2.25% compared with 2.5% forecast three months earlier. Strong Chinese factory data was the reason.AUD/USD ended the session up 1.05% at 0.9199.More Coverage of Today’s Top StoryBloomberg: Currency volatility at almost lowest since May on Fed. – A gauge of currency volatility fell to almost the lowest level in three months as traders weigh whether economic gains will be enough for the Federal Reserve to reduce stimulus measures next month.Marc Chandler: Dollar consolidating the weekly losses. – The US dollar is mostly little changed against the major currencies; consolidating the recent losses that have taken it to multi-week lows. The two notable exceptions today are the Australian dollar and Norwegian krone.More Top Stories:Dean Popplewell: Dollar’s demise is slow and painful. – A silent market can be the most deadly and this past week is no exception. Half hearted interest from the remaining members on the Street has seen the “mighty” dollar ending this week against most of the major currencies under pressure. Apathy is dangerous, it tends to lead to a false sense of security and all of a sudden, with liquidity at a premium, investors are paying away hard earned profits in a market where prices are squeezed for “little” reason – mostly positional.Ashraf Laidi: U.S. dollar: Time to worry? – Four weeks ago, the USD index hit 3-year highs, metals licked their wounds from the biggest decline in decades and the US growth story stood out in the headline. The Fed was considered the only major central bank capable of scaling down its quantitative easing, while the ECB mulled cutting interest rates to zero. The greenback was boosted by a powerful combination of fundamental and technical moving in tandem.Bloomberg: U.S. Didn’t intervene in currencies markets in quarter, Fed says. – The U.S. didn’t buy or sell dollars to affect foreign-exchange rates in the second quarter, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said in a report to Congress.Investing.com: USD/JPY slightly lower after Japanese data. – The U.S. dollar traded slightly lower against the Japanese yen during Friday’s Asian session following a pair of Japanese data points.Investing.com: EUR/USD drops on soft French output data. – The euro softened against the dollar on Friday after French industrial output figures disappointed investors and renewed concerns that the euro zone economy faces pot holes on its road to recovery.MarketWatch: Gold futures steady after Thursday rally. – Gold futures traded little changed on Friday, with traders pausing after the previous session saw the precious metal climb nearly $25 an ounce.