TOKYO, Sept 5 (AFP): Tokyo investors will be eyeing key Asian economic data next week, after the dollar soared to a near six-year high against the yen on upbeat expectations for Friday's US jobs figures, analysts said.
In addition to US nonfarm payroll data, investors are watching data on Japanese machinery orders due on Wednesday and China's trade data, set for Monday, Nomura Securities said in a statement.
"As the previous data for June showed an only modest recovery (in machinery orders)... whether the recovery trend continues is in focus," it said.
On Friday, Tokyo stocks ended flat, giving up earlier gains that were driven by the yen hitting a six-year low against the dollar and the European Central Bank's surprise rate cut.
Over the week the Nikkei 225 index added 1.58 per cent, despite a minor slip on Friday, ending the week at 15,668.68. The broader Topix index of all first-section shares added 1.19 per cent over the week to finish at 1,293.21.
Upbeat expectations for US jobs data to be released later Friday helped push the dollar to 105.69 yen in early trade, its highest level since October 2008, at the onset of the global financial crisis.
It eased slightly to 105.32 yen in the afternoon.
"Ahead of important US non-farm payroll figures due later today, the mood is characteristically reticent," Hiroyuki Fukunaga, chief executive at Investrust, told Dow Jones Newswires.
An equity trading director at a European brokerage said "foreign investors seem to be more on the net-sell side".
