Dollar rose in Asian trade off October 29 lows against yen following a spate of data from Japan and ahead of highly-anticipated US payrolls data later today. 

As of 06:33 GMT, USD/JPY rose 0.15% to 112.85, with an intraday high at 112.93, and a low at 112.65. 

Earlier Japanese data showed household spending fell 0.3%, compared to a 1.6% increase in September, while average wages rose 1.5%, beating estimates of 1$. 

A composite index combining several economic indicators fell to 100.5 from 104.3, while Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda said in earlier remarks that Japan's economy is growing at a decent clip, while risks are mostly coming from foreign tensions. 

Kuroda said the BoJ will carry on its quantitative easing program until inflation hits 2%, while noting how the economy still lacks strong momentum for the time being. 

Now markets await the crucial US payrolls report, with the unemployment rate expected at 3.7% with no change, while average earnings are estimated with a 0.3% increase, up from 0.2% in October. 

The economy is expected to have created 198 thousand new jobs last month, slowing down sharply from 250K, while wholesale inventories are estimated with a 0.7% increase, same as October. 

The UoM consumer sentiment survey is estimated with a small dip to 97.0 this month from 97.5 in November. 

Litecoin fell over 2%, or $1 on Friday to June 2017 lows on track for a weekly loss after a hiatus from losses last week, amid a persistent crypto selloff. 

As of 06:22 GMT, Litecoin fell 2.62% to $26.20, with an intraday high at $27.013, and a 1-1/5 year nadir at $25.318. 

The Group of 20 has pledged on Friday after the Argentinean summit to regulate crypto trading in order to combat money laundering and terrorism funding. 

Last month, International Monetary Fund head Christine Lagarde suggested on global central banks and their respective governments the possibility of issuing their own digital currencies to make them more stable and controlled and accessible for all sectors instead of the current mayhem in that market. 

Lagarde believes that payments through digital currencies would be instant, safe, and cheap, and while they would be anonymous, central banks will keep a database of all payments, cutting out fraud and money laundering operations. 

The Path of Litecoin

Litecoin was first publicly offered in the first half of 2013 at only $3, marking record lows at below $1 in early 2015 before taking off on its long and spotted journey higher. 

The cryptocurrency pierced $100 for the first time on November 29, 2017, before scaling a record high at $370.78 on December 19, and plummeting back below $100 on June 12, before marking 17-month lows on November 25 at $27.726.  

Silver futures inched higher in Asian trade while the dollar index eked out modest gains, ahead of highly-anticipated US payrolls data later today. 

As of 06:14 GMT, silver futures due in March rose 0.32% to $14.55 an ounce, while the dollar index barely added 0.07% to 96.88. 

Now markets await the crucial US payrolls report, with the unemployment rate expected at 3.7% with no change, while average earnings are estimated with a 0.3% increase, up from 0.2% in October. 

The economy is expected to have created 198 thousand new jobs last month, slowing down sharply from 250K, while wholesale inventories are estimated with a 0.7% increase, same as October. 

The UoM consumer sentiment survey is estimated with a small dip to 97.0 this month from 97.5 in November. 

Gold futures tilted higher in Asian trade as the dollar index traded mostly flat for the day, ahead of highly-anticipated US payrolls data later today. 

As of 05:25 GMT, gold futures due in February rose 0.12% to $1,245.10 an ounce, while the dollar index barely inched up 0.02% to 96.83. 

Now markets await the crucial US payrolls report, with the unemployment rate expected at 3.7% with no change, while average earnings are estimated with a 0.3% increase, up from 0.2% in October. 

The economy is expected to have created 198 thousand new jobs last month, slowing down sharply from 250K, while wholesale inventories are estimated with a 0.7% increase, same as October. 

The UoM consumer sentiment survey is estimated with a small dip to 97.0 this month from 97.5 in November.