* Yuan poised to end six-week winning streak
* S. Korean cenbank to keep key rates unchanged - poll
* Indonesian rupiah slips even as trade deficit narrows in
Dec
(Adds text, updates prices)
By Niyati Shetty
Jan 15 (Reuters) - Most Asian currencies eased on Wednesday
as risk sentiment was curbed ahead of the signing of the Phase 1
Sino-U.S. trade deal after comments from Washington that tariffs
would remain in place for now.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin late on Tuesday said that
the United States would keep in place its tariffs on Chinese
goods until the completion of a second phase trade agreement.
The yuan CNY=CFXS retreated 0.2% to 6.895 a dollar and was
set to snap six straight sessions of gains.
Markets were reminded of the longer-term structural points
of contention in U.S.-China relationship, Maybank analysts said
in a note, adding that "euphoria related to the trade deal
signing could hence be capped".
Meanwhile, China's central bank injected $58 million in
loans on Wednesday, as its aims to maintain liquidity in a
slowing economy and ease a potential crunch ahead of the Lunar
New Year. The trade-sensitive South Korean won KRW=KFTC slipped as
much as 0.6% to 1,162.80 per dollar.
A Reuters poll showed that Bank of Korea is likely to keep
rates on hold at 1.25% during its policy meeting on Friday, due
to signs of economic recovery. However, South Korea's economy has been among the worst-hit
by global supply chain disruptions from the trade war and
analysts believe that any further uncertainties in its growth
outlook could see the central bank cutting rates again this
year.
Indonesia's rupiah IDR= softened 0.3% even as data showed
the country's trade deficit narrowed in December, following its
largest trade gap in seven months in the prior month.
The stable trade figures comes days after the central bank
said it would let the rupiah strengthen in line with market
movements.
The Malaysian ringgit MYR= , the Singapore dollar SGD=
and the Indian rupee INR=IN edged lower.
The following table shows rates for Asian currencies against
the dollar at 0507 GMT.
CURRENCIES VS U.S. DOLLAR
Currency Latest bid Previous day Pct Move
Japan yen 109.890 109.97 +0.07
Sing dlr 1.347 1.3467 -0.05
Taiwan dlr 29.914 29.942 +0.09
Korean won 1157.800 1156.1 -0.15
Baht 30.270 30.265 -0.02
Peso 50.660 50.66 +0.00
Rupiah 13700.000 13665 -0.26
Rupee 70.933 70.88 -0.07
Ringgit 4.076 4.073 -0.07
Yuan 6.894 6.8845 -0.13
Change so far in 2020
Currency Latest bid End 2019 Pct Move
Japan yen 109.890 108.61 -1.16
Sing dlr 1.347 1.3444 -0.22
Taiwan dlr 29.914 30.106 +0.64
Korean won 1157.800 1156.40 -0.12
Baht 30.270 29.91 -1.19
Peso 50.660 50.65 -0.02
Rupiah 13700.000 13880 +1.31
Rupee 70.933 71.38 +0.63
Ringgit 4.076 4.0890 +0.32
Yuan 6.894 6.9632 +1.01