The U.S. dollar weakened in late trading on Monday.
The dollar index, which measures the greenback against six major peers, fell 0.84 percent to 96.814 at 15:00 (2000 GMT).
In late New York trading, the euro climbed to 1.1921 dollars from 1.1819 dollars in the previous session, and the British pound added to 1.3699 dollars from 1.3616 dollars in the previous session.
The U.S. dollar bought 155.68 Japanese yen, lower than 157.1 Japanese yen in the previous session. The U.S. dollar slipped to 0.7660 Swiss francs from 0.7754 Swiss francs, and it was down to 1.3557 Canadian dollars from 1.3658 Canadian dollars. The U.S. dollar decreased to 8.9094 Swedish kronor from 9.0201 Swedish kronor.
U.S. dollar ticks down
Global food commodity prices climbed for a second consecutive month in March, driven mainly by higher energy costs linked to escalating conflict in the Middle East, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said in report released on Friday.
The FAO Food Price Index, which tracks monthly changes in the international prices of a basket of globally traded food commodities, averaged 128.5 points in March, up 2.4 percent from February and 1.0 percent above its level a year ago.
According to the report, the FAO Vegetable Oil Index and Sugar Price Index showed the largest increases, up 5.1 percent and 7.2 percent, respectively.
The FAO Cereal Price Index increased by 1.5 percent from the previous month, driven primarily by higher world wheat prices, which rose 4.3 percent.
The FAO Meat Price Index rose by 1.0 percent from the previous month, and the FAO All-Rice Price Index declined by 3.0 percent in March, according to the report.
FAO stated that rising energy and fertilizer prices have been driving up agricultural input costs.
If the conflict stretches beyond 40 days, farmers will have to choose to farm the same with fewer inputs, plant less, or switch to less intensive fertilizer crops, according to FAO Chief Economist Maximo Torero.
These choices will hit future yields and shape food supply and commodity prices for the rest of this year and beyond, Torero said.
Global food prices rise for 2nd consecutive month in March amid Middle East conflict: FAO
