Pre-election politicking was blamed for pushing the Philippines peso to an all-time low over the week, while the Taiwan dollar shed 0.6 percent amid angry protests about the island's disputed election.
JAPANESE YEN: The yen hit five-week highs against the dollar in Tokyo on the back of rising local share prices and growing optimism about Japan's economic recovery, despite suspected yen-selling intervention by Japanese monetary authorities.
The Japanese unit stood at 105.68-70 to the dollar late Friday, up from 106.80-82 to the dollar a week earlier. It touched 105.64 in early trading on Friday, its highest level since February 18 when it fetched 105.53.
The yen was seen likely to gain further in the coming week with market players awaiting the release of the quarterly "Tankan" survey of business confidence on Thursday.
"If the survey confirms that a growing number of companies are expecting a sustained economic expansion, it will boost purchases of the yen and stocks," the economic daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun said.
"Market participants are buying the yen while monitoring the strong performance of the Tokyo stock market today," Kazuhiro Kaneko, dealer at Trust and Custody Services Bank, said Friday.
The bench Nikkei average of the Tokyo Stock Exchange rose 2.08 percent to a 21-month high of 11,770.65 Friday.
But Kaneko added, "At the 105 yen level, it's difficult to sell down the dollar because the government might step into the market."
AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR: The Australian dollar is expected to continue its downward trend next week as risk-adverse investors look for safe havens elsewhere, dealers said.
The currency ended the week at 74.10 US cents, down on last week's 74.92 US cents as it retreated from recent highs around US 80 cents.
AMP Capital Investors senior portfolio manager Chris Loong said the Australian dollar could track lower in the short term.
"That looks to be the weaker side at the moment, given the latest momentum and the theme of risk aversion and that carry trade is a little bit out of vogue," he said.
The Australian dollar traditionally falls during times of global uncertainty and dealers said market jitters remained following the Madrid terrorist attacks and Israel's killing of Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.
J.P. Morgan dealers said the currency could fall as low as 73.75 US cents.
"We are now targeting support between 74.10 US cents and 73.75 US cents and expect to see a base develop in there," they said in a note to clients.
NEW ZEALAND DOLLAR: New Zealand's dollar closed Friday at 64.55 US cents, down on the close a week earlier of 65.63.
SINGAPORE DOLLAR: The US dollar was at 1.6905 Singapore dollars on Friday from 1.6930 the previous week.
HONG KONG DOLLAR: Hong Kong's US-pegged dollar was at 7.7968 on Friday from 7.7922 the previous week.
INDONESIAN RUPIAH: The rupiah closed the week lower at 8,615-8,620 to the dollar compared with the previous week's close of 8,555-8,560.
PHILIPPINE PESO: The peso slipped to 56.425 to the dollar in late trading Friday compared to 56.38 on March 19.
The local unit hit a record low of 56.45 to the dollar on Monday which President Gloria Arroyo blamed on the opposition for their politicking in the run-up to the May 10 national elections.
Arroyo also cited uncertainty in the business community over her main rival, opposition candidate Fernando Poe, a popular movie star who is also a high school drop-out with no experience in public service.
SOUTH KOREAN WON: The won strengthened slightly to reach 1,157.70 per dollar Friday, compared with 1,158.40 won a week earlier.
TAIWAN DOLLAR: The Taiwan dollar shed 0.06 percent over the week to close at 33.274 against the greenback Friday after closing at 33.253 a week before.
THAI BAHT: The baht closed Friday at 39.53-55 to the dollar compared to last week's close of 39.44-47.
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