Tokyo - The dollar stayed nearly unchanged in lacklustre holiday trade on Tuesday, as Asian investors waited for their Western counterparts to return from the Christmas holiday.
The forex market was quiet with the dollar standing at ¥77.90, basically unchanged from ¥77.99 in Tokyo on Monday, when players in New York and London were away.
The London Stock Exchange will remain closed on Tuesday.
The euro was also flat at $1.3073 and ¥101.85, compared with $1.3059 and ¥101.88 in Tokyo.
Investors are awaiting the release later in the day of the Case-Shiller home price index in the United States to set the tone of New York shares, said a senior dealer at a major bank in Tokyo.
"Usually after the year-end holiday season, US shares rise," he told Dow Jones Newswires.
"If that is the case this year as well, then the euro will rise against the dollar and yen," he said.
The dollar was a tad firmer against other Asian currencies.
It rose to Sg$1.2953 from Sg$1.2914 Monday in Tokyo, to Tw$30.31 from Tw$30.28, and to 43.70 Philippine pesos from 43.53.
The US unit also increased to 1 157.10 South Korean won from 1 153.40, to 31.43 Thai baht from 31.34, and to 9 130.00 Indonesian rupiah from 9 050.00.