The New Taiwan dollar on Friday fell against the US dollar, sliding NT$0.005 to close at NT$29.960, but still gaining 0.2 percent from NT$30.019 a week earlier.
Turnover totaled US$968 million during the trading session. The greenback opened at NT$29.960, and moved between NT$29.900 and NT$29.962 before the close.
BENEFICIAL DATA
Elsewhere on Friday, the greenback rose to a one-week high against the euro as economic data pointed to solid economic growth and reduced fears about an impending slowdown.
US homebuilding last month surged to a 13-year high as activity increased across the board, suggesting that the housing market recovery was back on track amid low mortgage rates.
That data came after statistics on Thursday showed that US retail sales last month increased for a third straight month, while a gauge of manufacturing activity in the US mid-Atlantic region this month rebounded to its highest level in eight months.
“The last couple of sessions we’ve gotten some pretty good data,” CIBC Capital Markets North American head of foreign exchange strategy Bipan Rai said in Toronto.
“There was a little bit of concern by the [US] Federal Reserve with regard to the health of the consumer and household market in the US, but it seems like yesterday’s retail sales numbers and also the housing data from yesterday and today have assuaged some of those fears for the time being,” Rai said.
The euro fell 0.41 percent against the US dollar to US$1.1089.
The Japanese yen was little changed, after weakening earlier on Friday as record-high stocks reflected stronger risk appetite.
CHINA STABILIZES
Data released on Friday showed that China’s economy ended last year on a firmer note, even as economic growth cooled to its weakest in nearly 30 years.
“December data signaled a strong finish for the Chinese economy and that suggests the Chinese economy may be primed for a rebound in 2020,” Mitsubishi UFG Financial Group Inc currency strategist Lee Hardman said in London.
The yen hit ¥110.28, the weakest since May last year, before falling back to ¥110.12.
The offshore Chinese yuan also strengthened as far as 6.8567, the strongest since July last year.
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