The Philippine peso and Indonesian rupiah led declines among Asian currencies on Friday, extending recent losses on bets the U.S. Federal Reserve will slow rate cuts, while regional stocks were mixed on uncertainty about the U.S. election outcome.
The dollar index was largely unchanged at 104.04, after reaching a three-month high of 104.57 earlier this week. The index is on track for a 3.6% gain since the week ended Sept. 23, and poised to record its strongest weekly performance since Sept. 30. "As the U.S. elections approach and Trump trades are being implemented, the dollar is likely to remain on the front foot and the U.S. rates are likely to remain elevated, creating a somewhat painful backdrop for EM assets," analysts at Barclays said.