The greenback has been on a rampage since late September, soaring over 7% against a basket of major currencies and hammering the euro down to almost $1.01 on Feb. 3 - just a whisker away from parity,

Since the euro came into existence in 1999, the currency has traded at equal value to the US dollar only a handful of times. The last instance was in 2022, after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine sparked an energy crisis in Europe and provoked fears of a recession,

MADRID (Reuters) -Spain's Caixabank said on Thursday its net profit rose 33% in the fourth quarter from the same period in 2023 as a rise in fees and commissions more than offset lower lending income.