The Rupee closed little changed on Friday to end the week little changed as traders awaited developments in U.S.-India trade talks, with a positive outcome potentially helping the local currency break past a sticky resistance level. The currency had risen to a one-month peak of 85.25 in the previous session but pared gains on Friday after traders scaled back wagers on rate cuts by the Federal Reserve following a stronger-than-expected U.S. labour market report. On the day, routine dollar demand from importers weighed on the rupee with market participants also avoiding aggressive bullish wagers on the local currency to limit carrying risk over the weekend, a trader at a foreign bank said. While the rupee has persistently failed to rise and hold above a technical resistance level around 85.35-85.40 over recent sessions, a favourable trade deal with the U.S. may help the currency clear the hurdle, the trader added. Earlier in the week, Trump announced a deal with Vietnam, and the White House teased a forthcoming agreement with India. Meanwhile, talks with Japan - the U.S.' closest ally in Asia - have appeared to hit road blocks. Amid the ongoing uncertainty, analysts have pointed out that India's climbing foreign exchange reserves and the central bank's shrinking forward book are cementing the rupee's defences. Sterling was poised for a weekly loss on Friday, marking a lacklustre end to a week that saw fiscal and political uncertainties rattle investor appetite for UK assets. The pound was flat and last fetched $1.36, while against the euro it inched 0.1% lower and was last at 86.26 pence. Gilt yields were broadly steady in late morning trading. However, on a weekly basis, cable was down 0.4% against the greenback, while it had fallen about 1% against the euro, marking its biggest one-week drop against the currency since U.S. tariffs on world economies took effect in early April. Despite the week's developments, the pound is at a near four-year high against the dollar and is up about 9% so far this year, having benefited from broader dollar weakness and as a U.S.-UK trade deal offered some relief on the tariff front. Oil futures slipped slightly Friday on thin holiday volumes, as the market looked ahead to this weekend's OPEC+ meeting and the likelihood that member countries will decide this weekend to raise output. Brent crude futures were down 58 cents, or 0.84%, at $68.20 a barrel by 12:23 ET (1623 GMT) while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was down 59 cents, or 0.88%, to $66.41. Trade was thin due to the U.S. Independence Day holiday.......