Most Asian currencies rose on Thursday in holiday-thinned trading as the US dollar softened against the euro and Japanese yen. The regional gained despite weakness in local stocks and even after China had quashed rumours of an imminent change in yuan policy on Wednesday. Malaysia also said it would keep its peg for now, robbing markets of a big reason to buy the Asians. The Korean won hit a two-week peak of 1,050.5 a dollar. The Taiwan dollar also firmed to a two-week high before trimming its gains.
The Singapore dollar moved to one-week high near 1.6370, before fear of intervention by the Monetary Authority of Singapore dragged the currency down to 1.6420.
"It is the underlying concerns about the US dollar," said DBS Bank strategist Chua Hak Bin.
The euro rallied to $1.3450 per dollar, its highest since December 7 when it hit a record high of $1.3470, after stop-loss orders were triggered.
The yen straddled 104 per dollar, although volumes were low with Japanese markets closed for the Emperor's birthday.
Jimmy Koh, head of research at United Overseas Bank, said most of the speculative money was still finding its way into Asian currencies.
Despite Chinese officials dismissing as rumours talk of a change in yuan policy during the year-end holidays, offshore non-deliverable forwards showed the yuan at a high premium.
One-year NDFs were quoted at 4,600 points, pricing in a 5.9 percent appreciation in the yuan and not far from Wednesday's peak of 4,800 points. The yuan is pegged around 8.28 per dollar.
"By and large markets are positioning for a yuan revaluation in 2005," Koh said, adding that would underpin Asian currencies.
Regional stock markets had opened higher after a rally in US stocks led by data showing sturdy US economic growth and a fall in oil prices. But most indices reversed later.
Fear of central bank intervention reined in the Thai baht, which struggled to rise past 39 per dollar.
Korea's finance ministry repeated its view that the won's recent advance was too rapid. The won has jumped nearly 10 percent since early October, making it Asia's best performer against the dollar so far this year.
The Indonesian rupiah rose over a quarter percent, testing ground on the firmer side of 9,300.
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