By Lisa Twaronite, MarketWatch
TOKYO (MarketWatch) — The dollar rose against rivals in Asian trading Friday, gaining on its perceived safe-haven status after reports raised investors’ fears about heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Artillery blasts rang out near the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong Friday, according to reports, three days after shelling by North Korea killed four there.
North Korea apparently was carrying out a military drill, and had fired up to 20 rounds, said reports citing South Korea’s YTN television network. The South Korean defense ministry said it was investigating the nature of the explosions, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Pyongyang also stepped up its rhetoric condemning U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises.
“The dollar and Swiss franc made gains as concerns about European peripheral countries persisted and as further comments from North Korea fanned fears of escalation on the Korean Peninsula,” said currency strategists at Brown Brothers Harriman.
The Korean won (USDKRW 1,147, -15.0500, -1.2952%) shed 1.9% against the U.S. dollar to close at 1,159.5, down 2.2% for the week.
U.S. markets were closed Thursday for the Thanksgiving holiday.
The euro (EURUSD 1.3249, -0.0104, -0.7789%) slipped to $1.3285 from $1.3339 in London trade late Thursday. See real-time currency quotes and tools.
The dollar index (DXY 80.24, +0.37, +0.46%) , a measure of the U.S. unit against a basket of major rivals, traded at 80.011, up from 79.740 late Thursday.
The greenback rose against the Japanese currency (USDYEN 83.7300, +0.1400, +0.1675%) , buying ¥83.83, up from ¥83.54 late Thursday.
The British pound (GBPUSD 1.5703, -0.0057, -0.3617%) changed hands at $1.5734, down from $1.5758.
