Asian currencies were mostly flat against the dollar during a week marked by little movement due to the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, with markets looking to fresh leads from US data due in the coming days.
JAPANESE YEN: The yen remained close to recent 27-month lows against the dollar this week and dealers say the Japanese unit could come under fresh pressure as prospects of US interest rate rises buoy the greenback.
By late Friday the dollar stood at 119.26-28 yen, barely changed from levels of 119.22-24 seen a week earlier.
Trading was subdued through the week, partly due to a national holiday in Japan on Wednesday and Thanksgiving in the United States on Thursday.
The yen dipped against the dollar toward the end of the week as slightly softer than expected Japanese consumer price data fanned expectations that Japan will maintain its super loose monetary policy for now, dealers said.
In contrast the market expects US interest rates to continue rising for now, encouraging a flow of funds into US assets and bolstering the dollar.
Looking forward, Harry Ida, senior currency analyst at Thomson Financial's IFR Forex Watch, said the dollar could eventually regain enough strength against the yen to breach the key 120 mark in coming weeks.
AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR: Analysts expect the Australian dollar to remain flat against the greenback next week as markets await crucial US economic data.
The Australian dollar was trading at 73.60 US cents at 5:00 pm Friday (0700 GMT), up from the previous week's 73.25 US cents.
Commonwealth Bank currency strategist Besa Deda said the Australian dollar would remain around the 73 US dollar mark as the markets anticipated US non-farm payroll data next Friday.
Domestically, she said attention would also be focussed on October retail trade figures out Wednesday and September quarter balance of payments data out Thursday.
NEW ZEALAND DOLLAR: The New Zealand dollar ended the week at 69.42 US cents, rising from 68.65 the previous Friday.
The high yielding kiwi remained attractive for investors and the higher than expected producer price index data out Thursday and news Friday of a record trade deficit for the year to October fuelled expectations of higher interest rates, dealers said. The central bank meets on December 8 to consider whether official interest rates will rise from the current seven percent.
CHINESE YUAN: The Chinese yuan closed at 8.0815 to the US dollar Friday, the central bank said in a statement on its website. That compared with a closing price of 8.0805 the previous trading day and 8.0832 the previous week. In accordance with its new policy, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange will take the closing price as the mid-point for the next trading day. The central bank allows a trading band of 0.3 percent either side of the mid-rate.
HONG KONG DOLLAR: The US-pegged Hong Kong dollar closed Friday at 7.7553, from 7.7536 the previous week.
INDONESIAN RUPIAH: The rupiah closed Friday slightly stronger at 10,050-10,055 to the dollar compared to last week's close 10,090-10,095.
PHILIPPINE PESO: The Philippine peso traded higher Friday at 54.15 to the dollar compared to 54.59 on November 18.
SINGAPORE DOLLAR: The dollar was at 1.6923 Singapore dollars on Friday from 1.7013 the previous week.
SOUTH KOREAN WON: The won closed at 1,041.20 won per dollar, compared with 1,036.20 won a week earlier, on the back of the dollar gaining ground against the yen and dollar buying by importers.
Dealers said the won was expected to move within a limited range in the coming week, mainly depending on the dollar-yen movement and the dollar supply by exporters.
TAIWAN DOLLAR: The Taiwan dollar rose 0.24 percent in the week to close at 33.550 against the US dollar. The local currency closed at 33.631 a week earlier.
THAI BAHT: The Thai baht fell against the dollar in the week as widening interest rate differentials between the United States and Japan prompted investors to buy higher-yielding US financial assets, dealers said.
The Thai unit closed Friday at 41.21-24 baht to the dollar, down from 40.90-92 baht a week earlier.
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