The Australian dollar was little changed to around $0.642 on Friday, pausing its four-session losing streak, but on track for a 1.3% drop for the week, its second weekly decline. The currency was pressured by a firmer US dollar, which is heading for a solid weekly performance as global markets braced for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell Jackson Hole speech that could shape the near-term path for interest rates. Earlier, weaker US jobs data had fueled hopes for aggressive cuts, but cautious Fed remarks and persistent inflation risks have since left market pricing in a smaller September move. On the domestic front, markets remained nearly fully priced for another 25 bps cut by the Reserve Bank of Australia in September, which would take rates to 3.35%, with further easing expected toward 3.10%. Meanwhile, a marked pickup in business activity lent some support to the Aussie, with manufacturing accelerating to 59.2 in August and services rising to 55.1 from 54.1 in the prior month.