(Updates prices. For midday report, double-click
)
SINGAPORE, Sept 1 (Reuters) – The rupiah eased on Monday but
pared some losses after Indonesia posted a small trade surplus
in July and as most emerging Asian currencies gained slightly,
with firm regional stocks offsetting downbeat Chinese
manufacturing activity.
Indonesia reported a $123.7 million trade surplus in July,
compared with a Reuters poll forecast for a $390 million
deficit. That helped the rupiah recover
some of its initial slide.
Most emerging Asian currencies gained, with the Philippine
peso at its highest in more than a month.
The peso rose as much as 0.3 percent to 43.470 per dollar,
its strongest since July 31, as investors sought higher yields
on rate hike expectations. A break of 43.50 also caused
stop-loss dollar selling, traders said.
South Korea’s won gained as exporters’ demand for
settlements prompted traders to cover short positions. The
foreign exchange authorities were not spotted intervening to
curb the won’s appreciation, traders said.
The yuan rebounded on technical buying, even
though growth in China’s vast factory sector cooled in August.
The slowdown boosted calls for more policy easing to prevent the
world’s second-largest economy from stumbling again.
CURRENCIES VS U.S. DOLLAR
Change on the day at 0800 GMT
Currency Latest bid Previous day Pct Move
Japan yen 104.12 104.12 -0.00
Sing dlr 1.2493 1.2488 -0.04
Taiwan dlr 29.956 29.970 +0.05
Korean won 1012.80 1014.00 +0.12
Baht 31.96 31.93 -0.08
Peso 43.48 43.59 +0.26
*Rupiah 11705.00 11685.00 -0.17
Rupee 60.45 60.50 +0.08
Ringgit 3.1500 3.1520 +0.06
Yuan 6.1411 6.1432 +0.03
Change so far in 2014
Currency Latest bid End prev year Pct Move
Japan yen 104.12 105.28 +1.11
Sing dlr 1.2493 1.2632 +1.11
Taiwan dlr 29.956 29.950 -0.02
Korean won 1012.80 1055.40 +4.21
Baht 31.96 32.86 +2.83
Peso 43.48 44.40 +2.12
Rupiah 11705.00 12160.00 +3.89
Rupee 60.45 61.80 +2.24
Ringgit 3.1500 3.2755 +3.98
Yuan 6.1411 6.0539 -1.42
* Financial markets in Malaysia were closed for a holiday.
(Reporting by Jongwoo Cheon; Editing by Alan Raybould)
