Asian currencies mainly rose against the dollar last week, as investors speculated that the US Federal Reserve would stop raising interest rates.
JAPANESE YEN: The yen rose against the dollar as compared with last week, only easing slightly at week's end on prospects that the US Federal Reserve will shortly end a series of interest rate hikes.
The Japanese currency stood at 117.60-62 to the dollar late Friday, up from 118.65-67 to the dollar a week earlier. It peaked at 116.76 yen to the dollar on Wednesday.
Dealers said the market would be awaiting signs from the Group of Seven finance ministers, who called on China late Friday to make its currency more flexible to help redress global economic imbalances.
"Even if the Chinese government were to make an additional revaluation of the currency, any action will be gradual, thereby yielding no impact on the basic direction of the Asian currencies," Mitsubishi UFJ currency dealer Minoru Shioiri said.
The dollar rallied after an increase in the US Philadelphia Federal Reserve business survey on Thursday rekindled speculation about further interest rate rises in the United States beyond an expected May hike.
The market will watch statements from new Fed chairman Ben Bernanke to the US Congress on Thursday, the business daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun said on its Internet edition.
If he drops any hint about an end to interest rate hikes, it will help boost US bonds and put pressure on the dollar, it said.
AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR: The Australian dollar is expected to continue to rise next week against a weakening greenback, dealers said.
The currency was 73.81 US cents at 5:00 pm (0600 GMT) Friday, well up on the previous week's 73.03 US cents.
Citigroup director and strategist Stephen Halmarick said the Australian currency had been hurt by sharp falls in commodity prices but should strengthen as the US Federal Reserve stops hiking interest rates while pressure builds for an Australian rate rise.
US interest rates are at 4.75 percent following a long run of hikes, while Australian rates have remained at 5.5 percent since March last year.
NEW ZEALAND DOLLAR: The New Zealand dollar ended the week at 62.79 US cents, up from 62.32 the previous Friday.
The kiwi rose to near 63.5 cents midweek after strong New Zealand inflation data suggested interest rates would remain higher for a while longer. A resurgent US dollar late in the week saw the kiwi lose most of the week's gains.
CHINESE YUAN: The Chinese yuan closed weaker Friday at 8.0170 to the dollar, under a new over-the-counter trading system that compared with a closing price of 8.0115 the previous day and 8.0180 on April 14.
Friday's central parity rate was set at 8.0210 to the dollar. The central bank has a yuan-dollar trading band of 0.3 percent on either side of the midpoint.
HONG KONG DOLLAR: The US-dollar pegged Hong Kong dollar closed the week at 7.7542 from the previous week's close of 7.7580.
INDONESIAN RUPIAH: The rupiah ended the week slightly stronger at 8,875-8,885, compared to the previous week's close of 8,990-8,995.
PHILIPPINE PESO: The Philippine peso fell to 51.69 to the dollar on Friday, compared to 51.33 to the dollar on April 12, the last trading day in the previous week.
Financial markets were closed on April 13-14 due to religious holidays.
SINGAPORE DOLLAR: The dollar was at 1.5983 Singapore dollars on Friday from 1.6093 the previous week.
SOUTH KOREAN WON: The won closed at 948.60 won per dollar Friday, compared with 958.40 won a week earlier, reflecting the weak greenback in overseas markets.
Dealers said the dollar-won rate is likely to move between 943 and 952 won when the market opens on Monday.
TAIWAN DOLLAR: The Taiwan dollar rose 0.53 percent in the week to April 21 to close at 32.309 against the US dollar. The local currency closed at 32.481 a week earlier.
THAI BAHT: The Thai baht sharply rose against the dollar over the past week as investors dumped the greenback on signs that a series of US interest rate rises was almost at an end, dealers said.
The Thai unit closed Friday at a six-year high of 37.77-80 to the dollar, sharply up from 38.14-17 a week earlier.
Against the euro, the Thai currency closed at 46.60-66, compared with 46.24-48.