The yen was flat and the Aussie dipped on Friday in early Asia with the focus on key U.S. jobs data ahead. The euro was almost unchanged against the U.S. dollar, after the release of upbeat German factory order data as markets were digesting comments made by European Central Bank President Mario Draghi on Thursday.
JPY/USD traded at 119.82, up 0.03%, while AUD/USD changed hands at 0.8378, down 0.07%.
A relatively light data with Australia's November AI Grp/HIA Construction Index fell 8.0 points to 45.4, dropping from expansion territory in October. In Japan, at 1400 (0500 GMT) the October preliminary indices of leading coincident indicator is due and expected at 104.2.
EUR/USD hit 1.2366 during late Asian trade, the session low; the pair subsequently consolidated at 1.2377, dipping 0.01%. The pair was likely to find support at 1.2280, Thursday's low and a two-year low and resistance at 1.2478, the high of December 2.
According to official data released earlier German factory orders rose 2.5% in October, exceeding expectations for a 0.6% gain. Factory orders in September were revised to an increase of 1.1% from a previously estimated 0.8% rise.
The European currency had strengthened broadly on Thursday after ECB President Mario Draghi indicated that it would not embark on quantitative easing for now, saying the bank would reassess its stimulus program in the first quarter of 2015.
The head of the bank said the it could potentially change the size, scale and composition of its existing stimulus programs. The governing council remains unanimous that it will take further measures, if necessary, he added.
The ECB substantially revised down its forecasts for growth and inflation and warned that the latest forecasts do not take into account the recent steep drop in oil prices.
The comments came after the bank left euro zone interest rates on hold at their current record lows of 0.05%, in a widely anticipated decision.
