The dollar fell slightly against the euro and the yen Friday after rising oil prices and new uncertainty about the U.S. trade deficit halted gains the dollar made early in the week.
The euro traded at $1.2868, down slightly from $1.2873 in overnight trading late Thursday. The dollar bought 105.58 yen, below the 105.77 yen it bought late Thursday in New York. Japan's foreign exchange market was closed for National Foundation Day, a public holiday. Japanese trading will resume Monday.
The British pound bought $1.8690 early Friday, slightly down from $1.8692 the previous day.
Last Monday, the euro dipped under $1.28 for the first time since Nov. 5 after President Bush sent Congress a $2.57 trillion budget for 2006, describing it as "lean."
But data Thursday showed last year's trade deficit -- which along with the U.S. budget deficit is credited with driving down the dollar -- soaring to a record $617.7 billion in 2004, 24.4 percent higher than the previous year.
The trade deficit in December declined 4.9 percent to $56.4 billion.
Worries about the massive U.S. trade and budget deficits have weighed on the dollar in recent months. (По сведениям информационного агентства <->)