Dollar firmer against yen

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SYDNEY: The dollar edged higher versus the yen on Monday following a choppy end to last week, while disappointing trade figures out of China barely dented an already defensive Australian dollar.

The greenback advanced 0.2 percent to 107.30 yen. At one point on Monday, the dollar rose to as high as 107.635 yen, testing chart resistance right around that level.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback's value against a basket of six major currencies, last traded at 93.847 .DXY, up from Friday's low of 93.277.

The euro held steady at $1.1407 EUR=.

The dollar initially fell on Friday after headline payrolls data showed the U.S. economy added the fewest jobs in seven months in April.

But the market was quick to reverse positions on closer look at the numbers, which showed an encouraging pick-up in annual wage growth.

Also helping the dollar's rebound was New York Federal Reserve President William Dudley who said two U.S. rate hikes this year were still a "reasonable expectation".  All that left the dollar back at, or slightly firmer than, levels seen prior to the closely watched payrolls report.