Currencies
Evidence that the U.S. economy is strengthening while Europe grapples with another recession helped send the euro to a near 16-month low against the dollar on Friday, with more losses likely as long as euro zone funding concerns continue.
The dollar got a big boost against most major currencies, touching its highest since February against the Swiss franc, after a report showed a larger-than-expected rise in U.S. nonfarm payrolls in December and the jobless rate dropped to a three-year low.
Better-than-expected U.S. economic data in recent weeks has highlighted a growing contrast between the recovery in the world's largest economy and Europe, which is widely believed to be either in, or headed toward, a recession.
In early afternoon New York trade, the euro was 0.5 percent lower against the dollar at $1.2718 after hitting a low of $1.2696, its weakest since September 2010.
The euro was 0.6 percent lower against the yen at 98.02 after touching a low of 97.88, its lowest since mid December 2000.
The dollar was last 0.4 percent higher against the Swiss franc at 0.9554 after climbing as high as 0.9578.
The U.S. currency fell 0.1 percent against the yen to 77.06 yen, but remained off the trough touched this week which was the lowest since mid November.
Energy
Brent crude prices edged up on Friday and gained more than 5 percent for the week as anxiety over Iran and potential supply disruptions countered the dollar's strength on better-than-expected U.S. jobs growth and concerns about Europe's economy.
Choppy trajectories characterized trading and U.S. crude closed slightly lower, a day after government data showed oil inventories rose last week.
Brent February crude rose 32 cents to settle at $113.06 a barrel, having tested support below Brent's 200-day moving average of $112.73 after retreating from its $113.68 intraday peak.
Brent's premium to U.S. crude rose above $11 a barrel, gained 5.28 percent for the week, after slipping slightly last week at in low-volume, end-of-year trading.
U.S. February crude fell 25 cents to settle at $101.56 a barrel, but posted a 2.76 percent weekly gain.
Precious metals
Gold eased on Friday, snapping a five-session winning streak, but trade was choppy as investors digested a report of better U.S. job growth and the unemployment rate near a three-year low.
The metal still notched its biggest weekly gain in five weeks after it broke ranks with a slumping euro in the last two days.
Spot gold fell 0.3 percent to $1,617.19 an ounce.
U.S. gold for February delivery settled down $3.30 at $1,616.80.
Spot silver fell 1.9 percent to $28.72 an ounce, headed for a weekly climb of nearly 4 percent -- its biggest rise in a month.
Platinum group metals fell, with platinum down 0.9 percent for the day to $1,397.40 an ounce, and palladium dropped 3.9 percent to $610.43 an ounce.
Stock indices
U.S. stocks were on track to post gains for the first week of 2012 on Friday as signs of a sustainable economic recovery overshadowed lingering concerns about the euro zone's debt crisis.
The government's report on non-farm payroll jobs for December was the latest in a list of economic numbers that were stronger than anticipated.
Data this week painted a rosier picture on the labor, housing and retail markets, auguring a recovery in growth in 2012.
The Dow and S&P were on track to rise more than 1 percent this week and the Nasdaq added nearly 3 percent, with most gains coming from cyclical sectors tied to growth, including financials and energy.
The Dow Jones industrial average shed 42.23 points, or 0.34 percent, to 12,373.47.
The Standard & Poor's 500 Index dipped 1.55 points, or 0.12 percent, to 1,279.51.
The Nasdaq Composite gained 8.75 points, or 0.33 percent, to 2,678.61.
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