Fears the U.S. recovery is faltering drove the dollar to a three-month low on Monday against a basket of currencies while strong European earnings pushed sterling to a six-month high against the greenback.

The euro neared $1.32 for the first time since early May, with its rally picking up steam after the currency broke above $1.3125, an important technical level. The Australian dollar hit a three-month peak after data showed Chinese manufacturing expanded for a 17th straight month.

Signs of weaker U.S. growth have hobbled the dollar in recent weeks. Data on Friday showed growth slowed to a 2.4 percent annual rate in the second quarter and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Monday the economy is still far from achieving full recovery.

But the Chinese data and recent solid reports from Europe have investors hopeful the world economy can grow even if U.S. recovery sputters. That has boosted appetite for higher risk currencies and pushed them through important technical levels.

Analysts said the euro's rally accelerated after it broke $1.3125 EUR=. That marked a three-month high and the 38.2 percent retracement of a decline that began in November and took the euro to $1.1876 in June, its lowest since 2006. It was last up 1 percent at $1.3181.

A close around these levels, analysts said, would be a bullish sign, with $1.3510, the 50 percent retracement of the November-to-June move, a potential target. But traders said barriers around $1.3200, $1.3250 and beyond could make it a slow and difficult climb.

An index of the dollar .DXY against six major currencies fell 0.9 percent and was nearing its 200-day moving average, another important technical level that, if breached, could suggest further losses ahead, analysts said.

It's a broad dollar-weakness story right now, said Sebastien Galy, senior strategist at BNP Paribas in New York. If we close above key technical levels on the euro, we may be in for a sharp acceleration.

Sterling hit a six-month high versus the dollar GBP=D4 of $1.5897 and hit a four-week high against the euro EURGBP=D4. Robust results from HSBC (HSBA.L)(0005.HK) and BNP Paribas (BNPP.PA) helped risk sentiment, and European shares rose 2.5 percent .FTEU3.

The dollar fell 0.1 percent to 86.36 yen JPY=, not far from an eight-month low of 85.95 yen hit late last week. Japanese finance minister Yoshihiko Noda said on Monday excessive yen movements were undesirable because of the currency's impact on the economy and markets.

U.S. stocks rallied as equities investors ignored the GDP numbers to focus on strong earnings and better-than-expected manufacturing data.

U.S. data released Monday showed the manufacturing sector slowed a bit in July but by less than economists had expected. The U.S. will release employment data for July on Friday.

What's happening is the rest of the world doesn't look so bad and the U.S., while sluggish, doesn't look dire yet, said Joseph Trevisani, chief analyst at FX Solutions in Saddle River, New Jersey.

The U.S. economy's been on an even keel for six months, not really going up or down. So as long as China doesn't fall off a cliff, the easy currency play is to keep buying risk, particularly the Australian and Canadian dollars, he said.

The dollar also fell against the Australian and Canadian dollars, with the Aussie hitting a three-month peak at $0.9136 AUD=D4. Strong Chinese data tends to help the Aussie dollar.

(Additional reporting by Nick

China Japan Ben Bernanke