The dollar rallied to a fresh 3-1/2-year high against the yen and a three-month high against the euro on Friday, buoyed by a report showing US employers stepped up hiring in February, pushing the unemployment rate to a four-year low. Against the yen, the dollar climbed as high as 96.54 yen, the highest level since August 2009. It was last at 96.14 yen, up 1.4 percent, its biggest one-day gain since February 11. Some US $3.7 billion in yen changed hands, using Reuters Dealing.
The euro rose 0.5 percent against the yen to 124.83 yen , with the session peak at 125.95 yen, the highest level since February 13. The euro was last down 0.9 percent at $1.2985 with the session low of $1.2955, the lowest since December 11, using Reuters data.