Rupee: The offshore Chinese yuan, at 7.1824 to the U.S. dollar, was at its highest in nearly two months, while the Japanese yen was poised for its best week in one-and-a-half years amid central bank intervention.
U.S. job growth was significantly lower than expected in April, perhaps signaling a reversal in employment trends that have been hurting the Federal Reserve's fight against inflation.
Gold extended its rally to a fresh record high after a key US jobs report bolstered expectations that the Federal Reserve will soon cut interest rates.
Despite signs of the economy s strength, polls show most Americans remain dissatisfied, primarily due to higher prices. However, public sentiment is gradually improving. A measure of consumer sentiment has jumped significantly, and inflation expectations have reached a three-year low. The national economy is seen as good by 35% of U.S. adults, up from 30% late last year.