The rupee moved both ways against the dollar on the money market on Friday in process of trading activity, dealers said.
In the final Asian trade, Asian currencies steadied their slide on Friday, as World Health Organization confidence in China's response to a rapidly-spreading new virus tempered worries over a jump in infections.
The WHO said late Thursday that the coronavirus outbreak was a global emergency, but opposed travel restrictions and said China's actions so far will "reverse the tide" of its spread.
Despite an increase in deaths and new cases, the WHO's assured tone was enough to pause a rush to safety that has for two weeks pounded stocks and hammered currencies and commodities exposed to China.
The New Zealand dollar was 0.1% weaker and touched a two-month low of $0.6479. The Australian dollar, at $0.6720, was just above a four-month low hit overnight.
The dollar was trading against the Indian rupee at Rs 71.483 and the greenback was available at 4.086 in terms of the Malaysian ringgit.
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Open Bid Rs 154.30
Open Offer Rs 154.60
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Bid Rate Rs 154.49
Offer Rate Rs 154.50
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Amid lack of buyers' interest in the market, the dollar could not sustain its worth throughout the trading session and ended lower for buying and selling at Rs 154.30 and Rs 154.60 against the previous closing rate of Rs 154.50 and Rs 154.70 respectively, local currency dealers said.
On the other hand, the national currency depreciated its worth against the pound sterling. Consequently, the pound's buying and selling rates rose from the Thursday's closing of Rs 200.30 and Rs 201.40 to Rs 201.50 and Rs 202.40 respectively, they added.
The dollar opened at Rs 154.70(buying) and Rs 154.80(selling) against last rate of Rs 155(buying) and Rs 155.10(selling).
It closed at Rs 154.70(buying) and Rs 154.80(selling).
The buying and selling rates of one tola of gold were Rs 91,500 (selling) and Rs 91,200(buying) in the local Sarafa (gold) markets of twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi here on Thursday.