Asian currencies traded in a tight range against the dollar in a week with few leads although the Indonesian rupiah dropped sharply on soaring world oil prices.
JAPANESE YEN: The yen gained ground slightly against the dollar during the week with the US currency facing mild selling pressure over high oil prices and a mixed batch of US economic indicators, dealers said.
The Japanese currency stood at 109.78-80 to the dollar late Friday, compared with 110.80-83 to the dollar a week earlier.
"The dollar saw a little selling pressure on the mixed US indicators," said Masamichi Koike, head of the trading department at Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation.
"Market participants became concerned over consumption due to higher oil prices," said Koike. US oil futures hit record highs close to 68 dollars a barrel before closing at 66.13 on Friday.
Orders for US-made durable goods tumbled 4.9 percent in July, but the number of new US home sales in July surged by 6.5 percent, data showed Wednesday.
But investors sold the yen on Friday as the market showed concern at a report that Al Qaeda may be preparing an attack on a financial center in Asia, dealers said.
France's top terrorism investigator, Jean-Louis Bruguiere, told the Financial Times that several Asian countries, including Japan, were less prepared than the United States or Europe for a possible terrorist strike.
"We have elements of information that make us think that countries in this region, especially Japan, could have been targeted" by the al Qaeda network, the investigating magistrate said.
With little other news to drive markets, the report weighed on the Japanese currency, dealers said.
AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR: The release of domestic and US economic data is expected to give the Australian dollar more activity in coming days after a week with few triggers for movement.
At 5:00 pm Friday (0700 GMT) the dollar was trading at 75.87 US cents, more than half a cent above last week's 75.19 US cents.
Movement in the coming week could be prompted by the release of domestic data - including monthly retail trade figures and current account data for the June quarter - as well as US construction spending figures.
Comments from US Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan over the weekend could also have an impact.
NEW ZEALAND DOLLAR: The New Zealand dollar ended the week at 69.82 US cents, up slightly from 69.69 US cents the previous week. Dealers said the kiwi traded in a tight range all week, with weak local trade data on Thursday offset by the greenback being under pressure due to weak durable goods orders data.
CHINA YUAN: The yuan closed at 8.0965 to the US dollar this week compared to 8.1047 a week earlier.
HONG KONG DOLLAR: The US-pegged Hong Kong dollar closed the week at 7.765, little changed from 7.772 a week earlier.
INDONESIAN RUPIAH: The rupiah closed sharply lower Friday at 10,390/10,400 to the dollar compared with the previous week's close of 9,985/9,995.
PHILIPPINE PESO: The Philippines peso traded higher at 55.940 to the dollar on Friday afternoon compared with 56.045 on August 19.
SINGAPORE DOLLAR: The dollar was at 1.6750 Singapore dollars from 1.6678 the previous week.
SOUTH KOREAN WON: The won closed at 1,028.70 won per dollar Friday compared with 1,025.70 won a week earlier, as foreign investors continued selling South Korean stocks.
Dealers said the won is likely to move within a range of 1,025 won and 1,032 won in the coming week.
TAIWAN DOLLAR: The Taiwan dollar declined 0.38 percent over the week to end at 32.310 against the greenback Friday from 32.189 a week previously.
THAI BAHT: The Thai unit closed Friday at 41.00-05 baht to the dollar after from last week's close of 41.26-28, moving in a narrow range amid moderate trading, dealers said.
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