The dollar was pinned near seven-week lows on Friday as nervousness over banks kept investors skittish and traders assessed the Federal Reserve's chances of a pause to interest rate hikes.

Asian markets dipped Friday after a broadly healthy week, as lingering concerns about the banking sector played against hopes central banks could be nearing the end of their interest rate hiking cycle.

Asian shares inched higher on Thursday after the Federal Reserve hinted it could pause interest rate hikes following turmoil in the banking sector, though it also reiterated its commitment to fighting sticky inflation.

American banks will be paying especially close attention to the Federal Reserve's interest-rate decision on Wednesday, as the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) continues to reverberate through financial markets.

The dollar steadied in a holiday-thinned Asia session on Tuesday, though it struggled to lift far from five-week lows as traders reckoned banking stress would keep the Federal Reserve from hiking rates much further, or at all, later in the week.

Asian stocks were lifted from lows on Tuesday, with the rescue of Credit Suisse stemming selling in bank shares, though the mood was fragile and the stress in markets had traders wondering whether US rate hikes might be finished.

Asian equities sank Monday following a sell-off in New York as investors fret over the financial sector, despite central banks' pledges to provide liquidity to troubled lenders and news that UBS had taken over embattled Credit Suisse.

A $30 billion lifeline for First Republic Bank hosed down market fears about an imminent banking collapse on Friday, but a late tumble in the troubled US lender's shares showed investors were still worried about cracks in the sector.

Asian markets extended a risk rally on Wall Street on Friday to end a tumultuous week that saw a brewing banking crisis send bond yields plunging while market participants sharply lowered expectations of future interest rate hikes in Western economies.

Credit Suisse on Thursday said it would borrow up to US$54 billion from the Swiss central bank to shore up liquidity and investor confidence after a slump in its shares intensified fears about a global banking crisis.

Shares in European banks got pummeled again on Wednesday, as Credit Suisse plunged to fresh record lows after the lender's biggest shareholder said it could not raise its 10 percent stake citing regulatory issues.

The dollar rose 0.4 percent to 134.72 yen, even as wage talks delivered the biggest pay increases in a quarter century which are likely to pressure monetary policy settings in Japan.

Asian markets bounced Wednesday as concerns about contagion from the collapse of two US regional lenders eased while investors turned their attention back to next week's Federal Reserve interest rate decision.

Asia's share markets slid on Tuesday, with financial stocks in Tokyo leading losses as fear of a US banking crisis had investors fleeing the sector and slashing the interest rate outlook even ahead of US inflation data due later in the day.

US stock futures rallied in Asian trade on Monday as authorities announced plans to limit the fallout from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), while investors wagered a rate hike this month was no longer a certainty.

US authorities unveiled sweeping measures Sunday to rescue depositors' money in full from failed Silicon Valley Bank and to promise other institutions help in meeting customers' needs, as they announced a second tech-friendly bank had been closed by regulators.

The world's biggest banks took a stock market beating on Friday as signs of trouble at a US regional lender sparked concerns over the wider sector.

Asian markets sank again Friday following a rout on Wall Street as signs of trouble at a regional US lender sparked concerns about the wider sector as the Federal Reserve ramps up interest rates.

Asian traders shifted cautiously Thursday ahead of key US jobs data at the end of the week, after Federal Reserve boss Jerome Powell warned it could ramp up its pace of interest rate hikes if the economy shows no sign of slowing.

Indonesia’s currency is not out of the woods yet as the US Federal Reserve signals a further increase in its key interest rate.

The dollar scaled multi-month highs against most other major currencies on Wednesday after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned that US interest rates might need to go up even faster and higher than expected to rein in stubborn inflation.

Asian stocks pulled back on Tuesday as weak trade data weighed on Chinese stocks while investors awaited Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's testimony later in the day for clues on the central bank's next move on rates.

Asian markets mostly rose on Monday over murmurs that the US Federal Reserve may loosen its monetary tightening but stocks in Hong Kong and China fell after Beijing announced its lowest economic growth target in decades. 

Indonesia may not see house flipping take off to the extent that it has in the United States, an expert has said, but some are already turning a quick profit.

Asian markets on Friday tracked a Wall Street rally after a top Federal Reserve official said he would back a small interest-rate hike at its next meeting but hinted at a possible summer pause to see how tighter policy has impacted inflation.

As the world’s biggest palm oil exporter, Indonesia wants to establish its own benchmark crude palm oil (CPO) price by the end of this year to cut its reliance on the Malaysian derivative exchange. 

JP Morgan expects the electric vehicle (EV) industry and its supply chain to buoy Indonesia's equity market.

A rally in Asian shares sputtered on Thursday, pressured by a pullback in Chinese stocks and higher US yields amid fears the Federal Reserve will keep raising interest rates to combat sticky inflation.

Asian stocks rebounded from a two-month low on Wednesday as data showing China's manufacturing activity in February expanded at the fastest pace in more than a decade cheered investors, offsetting fears over rising interest rates.

Asian equities weakened on Tuesday and were set for their worst monthly performance since September as investors adjusted to expectations that US interest rates will stay higher for longer.