Dollar strengthens

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TOKYO: The dollar edged up in Asian trading on Friday but was on track for a losing month against a basket of currencies, while the euro shed some of its monthly gains after the European Central Bank maintained its easing bias.

The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six major rivals, edged up 0.1 percent to 99.205 , but down 0.8 percent for the week and 1.1 percent for April.

The euro was down 0.1 percent at $1.0863, but up 1.3 percent for the week and 2 percent for the month.

ECB chief Mario Draghi said on Thursday after the central bank´s policy meeting that removal of the bank´s easing bias was not discussed, stressing the barriers the ECB still faces before beginning to tighten its ultra-loose financing conditions.

However, he also said that euro zone´s recovery was increasingly solid and downside risks had diminished.

"My feeling is that Draghi´s statement will be an important factor to set the tone for the euro´s movement next month," said Masashi Murata, currency strategist for Brown Brothers Harriman in Tokyo.  "He said the ECB is unlikely to start its exit strategy this year."