Japanese yen

Investors eye data in year's last week

Japanese factory output and U.S. consumer confidence are among the few trading cues in the last trading week of the year, with Tokyo's Nikkei 225 on track to be one of the best-performing major stock indices globally.

The Japanese market is open from today through Dec. 20 in what is expected to be quiet trading in a holiday-shortened week.

Japan's six-month current account surplus quadruples

Japan said Nov. 10 its current account surplus more than quadrupled in the six months to September thanks to an improving trade picture and buoyant returns on the country's investments abroad.

The 8.7 trillion yen ($70.7 billion) figure for April-September - the first half of the fiscal year - was well up from the 2.0 trillion yen a year earlier, according to official data.

Euro falls as IMF walks out of Greek bailout talks

The euro fell on Friday as hopes for a Greek bailout deal took a hit after the International Monetary Fund pulled out of crunch talks between Athens and its creditors.

In Tokyo, the single currency was at $1.1229 and 138.63 yen, against $1.1260 and 139.00 yen in New York.

The dollar bought 123.47 yen against 123.45 yen.

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