CURRENCY OVERVIEW

The rupee closed little changed as the dollar steadied on Friday, but was on track to end the week lower after a six-week winning streak, while investors turned their focus to Donald Trump's presidential inauguration and awaited the incoming administration's policies. The yen was poised for its strongest weekly performance in over a month as expectations grow that the Bank of Japan will raise rates next week, putting the dollar on the back foot. This led markets to up their bets on Fed cuts this year, putting some pressure on the dollar ahead of Trump's return to the White House next week. Money markets currently price in about 43 basis points in U.S. rate cuts in 2025. The yen has climbed more than 1% against the dollar this week, reversing last week's decline. It was last 0.37% weaker at 155.69 per dollar, after touching a one-month high of 154.98 per dollar earlier on Friday. Sterling was down 0.35% at $1.2194, not far from the 14-month low it hit on Monday. British retail sales fell unexpectedly in December, according to data on Friday that raised the risk of an economic contraction in the fourth quarter. The euro was flat at $1.03. That left the dollar index , which measures the U.S. currency against six other units, up 0.1% at 109.08, away from a more than two-year high touched at the start of the week. The index is set for a drop of about 0.5% in the week, which would snap a six-week run of gains.  Oil prices edged lower on Friday, but remained on course for a fourth consecutive week of gains, as the latest U.S. sanctions on Russian energy trade heightened expectations for oil supply disruptions. Brent crude futures were down 33 cents or 0.4% lower at $80.96 per barrel by 1309 GMT, having gained 1.5% this week. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 22 cents or 0.3% at $78.46 a barrel, having climbed 2.4% for the week.

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