Asian FX mixed as yen pares gains, Aussie hits 18-week low ahead of U.S. payrolls

Asian currencies traded mixed on Friday as the U.S. technology sector suffered a sharp decline, prompting investors to seek refuge in safer assets like the Japanese yen. The yen saw a strong performance, reaching a one-week high near 157.40 per dollar, while the Australian and New Zealand dollars fell by 0.3%. The U.S. dollar held steady ahead of the upcoming October payrolls, with the dollar index rising by 0.1% to 101.70.

The Singapore dollar weakened by 0.2%, and the Taiwan dollar briefly dropped below a key psychological level of 33.00. The Korean won weakened as well, due to equity-driven pressure from the KOSPI's 8.6% drop, its first below 5,000 in nine months. In contrast, the Chinese yuan remained stable, despite reaching a four-year high near 6.659 per dollar. The U.S. dollar index rose by 0.1% to 101.70, while the USD/JPY pair increased by 0.1% to 157.85.