The South Korean won lost as much as 0.6%. The country's current account surplus contracted from $6.37 billion in February to $6.23 billion in March. Investor sentiment was frayed by a central bank official's comment that it was highly likely that South Korea would swing to a current account deficit in April after posting a surplus for 11 consecutive months.

The impact from the coronavirus has been reflected in a slew of grim economic data from around the world, with many analysts warning conditions could get worse before they get better.

Meanwhile, the Chinese yuan firmed marginally after data showed a surprise rise in the country's exports in April for the first time this year. Exports rose 3.5% for the month compared to a decline of 15.7% predicted by a Reuters poll.

Copyright Reuters, 2020