The euro was at US$1.1304 against the dollar late in New York, down 0.65 percent on the day. Against the Japanese currency, the dollar was nearly unchanged at ?119.02.
The tone for the dollar next week is weakness against the yen, ABN Amro said in a research note, ahead of a huge U.S. Treasury coupon payment of about US$24 billion on Aug. 15, with about US$51 billion in Treasuries maturing the same day.
Oil slips
On the New York Mercantile Exchange, US benchmark crude oil futures for September delivery settled US$0.21 lower at US$32.18 a barrel. Earlier, NYMEX September crude hit US$32.85 per barrel, its highest since March 18, two days before the US-led invasion of Iraq.
In London, international benchmark September Brent crude on the International Petroleum Exchange ended down US$0.26 at US$29.99 a barrel.
Brent came close to its post-invasion high.
Energy analyst Simon-Games Thomas said tight supplies in the United States heading into winter demand season and the wait for Iraqi exports to return should keep prices simmering for the rest of the year.
December gold rose US$3.80, or 1.1 percent to settle at US$357.90 an ounce on the Comex, trading from US$353.40 to US$359.00. It was the highest level in nine days as commodity trading advisors acted on computer buy signals and a move upward in gold shares sucked investment capital into the sector, dealers said.



