TOKYO (MarketWatch) -- The dollar slipped Friday against most major counterparts during Asian trading hours, ahead of a closely-watched U.S. employment indicator later in the global day.
The longest stretch of job losses since the 1930s probably continued September, economists say. U.S. nonfarm payrolls probably fell by 167,000 in the month to about 131 million, marking the 21st consecutive month of falling employment. See full U.S. jobs report preview.
The dollar bought 89.46 yen, down from 89.70 yen in late U.S. trading Thursday.
The euro was buying $1.4552, up from $1.4533,
The British pound slipped to $1.5916, from $1.5947 Thursday.
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Against the Japanese currency, the euro bought 130.09 yen, down from 130.18 yen late Friday.
Some analysts said that the euro would was poised for a break lower against the Japanese unit, comparing it to the situation the pound faced last week. Read more on the pound.
"Judging from the Wednesday data from Tokyo Financial Exchange, we estimate that euro/yen long position held by Japanese retail FX margin traders increased to 3.2 billion euros on Sept. 30 from 2.5 billion euros the previous day," said Tohru Sasaki, chief Japan forex strategist for JP Morgan Chase Bank.
"This is almost the same level as early-July and mid-April, just before euro/yen declined relatively sharply," he said in a research note Friday.
The euro's 200-day moving average is at 129.60 yen, which is just below its current level, he said. If euro/yen is destined for a similar trend as the pound/yen last week, "we are likely to see relatively large decline in euro/yen soon," he said.
