NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- The U.S. dollar gained some ground versus a basket of currencies on Friday after a report said orders for durable goods unexpectedly fell 2.4% in August. Excluding transportation goods, orders were flat. The dollar index (DXY 76.80, -0.10, -0.14%) , which measures the U.S. unit against a basket of six major currencies, rose to 77.048 in recent trading, from 76.901 late Thursday. Still to come are reports on new-home sales and consumer confidence. The dollar remained down almost 1% versus the Japanese yen after Japan's Finance Minister Hirohisa Fujii said he opposes intervening in the currency markets to curb the rise in the yen, according to media reports.
