Muscat: The US dollar index came under pressure today ahead of the release of a crucial US jobs report, while the Japanese yen held its gains after a sudden and brief surge in the previous session that traders suspect may have been driven by government authorities.

According to Oman News Agency, the dollar index, which measures the US dollar against six major currencies, declined by 0.04% to 99.56 points. The yen was last steady at 158.88 per dollar, having jumped 0.9% overnight, in a move that left market participants on alert for an official intervention from Tokyo. The euro rose to $1.1589, while the British pound attempted a bounce from a three-week low and last bought $1.3482.

The New Zealand dollar rose 0.07% to $0.5856, having slid 0.67% on Wednesday following a dovish hike, while the Australian dollar held near a high of more than three months at $0.7166. The Canadian dollar held to overnight gains and stood at $1.3836, after the Bank of Canada stood firm on rates, though it signaled its readiness to tighten policy to rein in inflation.