2018.03.0903:38:00UTC+00Yen Drops on Hopes for Easing U.S.-N. Korea Tensions

The dollar climbed against the Japanese yen on Friday as hopes of a breakthrough in the North Korean nuclear standoff rose after U.S. President Donald Trump showed willingness to accept an invitation to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un by May.

A South Korean envoy said in Washington that Trump expressed willingness, and that Kim had expressed commitment to denuclearisation.

Against the yen, the dollar was up 0.4 percent at 106.66 yen, retreating from a low of 105.24 yen on March 2, the greenback's lowest level since November 2016.

The greenback had gained ground earlier against the yen as some fears of a global trade war receded. Trump imposed import tariffs on steel and aluminium, while softening his stance by announcing exemptions for Canada and Mexico, and leaving open the chance for other countries to obtain their own.

The euro was steady at $1.2310, after dropping 0.8 percent on Thursday.

The euro pared losses after falling on Thursday as European Central Bank President Mario Draghi, while acknowledging faster growth in Europe, said regional inflation remained subdued and rising protectionism is a risk.

Draghi expressed his view on these issues at his news conference after a central bank policy meeting. It overshadowed the ECB's dropping of a long-standing pledge to raise its bond purchases if needed, a move that briefly spurred buying of the single currency.

Investors were waiting on the release of the U.S. jobs report later on Friday that will include data on non-farm payrolls and average hourly earnings.