SEOUL: The South Korean won inched up to a one-month high against the dollar by midday on Thursday after weaker-than-forecast private sector employment and sluggish manufacturing figures from the US pressured the dollar.
The won was up 0.4 percent at 1,097.9 per dollar as of 0220 GMT on Thursday from the previous onshore close at 1,102.4.
"The won's gain is expected to be capped by the highly anticipated US jobs report on Friday," said Lee Dae-ho, a foreign exchange analyst at Hyundai Futures, adding that February's record-high current account surplus would underpin the won.
Bank of Korea data showed earlier in the day that South Korea's $10.77 billion current account surplus in February, seasonally adjusted, was a record high for a second consecutive month.
A report by a payrolls processor showed on Wednesday US private employers added a smaller number of jobs last month than expected by economists. Separately, US manufacturing data showed growth fell in March to its lowest in almost two years.
Meanwhile, South Korean shares rose slightly on Thursday ahead of earnings data due later this month, propped up by energy and chemical shares on expectations of better results in the first quarter.
The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) climbed 0.5 percent to 2,028.45 as of 0220 GMT.
The sub-index for energy and chemical companies was up near 2 percent around midday.
"Energy shares were up on higher performance expectations and after US oil jumped as much as 5 percent on Wednesday," said Choi Ji-hwan, an analyst at NH investment & Securities.
SK Innovation jumped 2.5 percent and S-Oil was up 2.1 percent.
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