The offshore yuan strengthened to around 7.13 per dollar on Friday, heading for its second consecutive week of gains as investor focus turned to developments in US-China trade relations. Beijing appears to be gaining leverage in talks with Washington, holding off on US soybean purchases despite the harvest season, while tightening control over rare earth exports. As tensions between the two economies escalate, President Trump has threatened to halt Chinese imports while promising greater market access for US farmers. Although Trump has expressed optimism about a high-level meeting expected later this month, Beijing has yet to offer any formal confirmation. Investors now await key economic data next week, particularly inflation and trade figures, for insights into China’s economic outlook amid domestic and external headwinds.