The number of COVID-19 cases globally passed the 13 million mark as of July 14, according to Johns Hopkins University data. The dollar got an additional boost as investor hopes of a quick economic recovery diminished further, with some countries re-imposing lockdown measures to curb the spread of the virus.Adding to the list of recent differences between the U.S. and China over trade and Hong Kong’s national security laws, U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo issued a statement on Monday rejecting Chinese claims in the South China Sea. China hit back on Tuesday morning, rejecting the U.S. statement and calling Pompeo’s accusations of China bullying its neighbors “completely unjustified”. The U.S. Dollar Index that tracks the greenback against a basket of other currencies gained 0.03% to 96.537.