The dollar's broader rally has caught investors, including hedge funds, off guard, forcing them to shed their long positions in Asian currencies, which face near-term weakness.
WON The won dipped to 1,161.5 per dollar, down almost 0.9 percent from Thursday's close and is approaching the 100-day moving average, a key technical support in recent days. Chart signals still point to near-term weakness in the won.
The won has lost 3.6 percent in the past three weeks - part of an Asia-wide retreat due to the dollar's global resurgence. Meanwhile, won's implied volatilities have risen sharply this week as the spot tumbled. One-month vols hit as high as 14.4 percent on Thursday - highest since December 2, 2009 - before easing to 13.8 percent on Friday.
RUPIAH The rupiah fell 0.7 percent to 9,385 per dollar as foreigners sold local stocks, but it later stabilised near 9,360 amid jitters over possible central bank intervention.
"We see some outflows from equity settlements. The central bank is still on watch - they would be happy to intervene whenever we are close to 9,380/9,400 level," said a Jakarta-based trader. Indonesian stocks fell just over 1 percent. The high-yielding rupiah has lost more than 2 percent in the past three weeks. Meanwhile, one-month dollar/rupiah NDFs rose to 9,390 from Thursday's close at 9,370.
BAHT The Thai baht shed a quarter percent to 33.16 per dollar, tracking its regional peers. "It opened at 33.14, quickly slid to 33.18 before settling at 33.14-15. We expect it to range 33.10-20 today," a Bangkok-based dealer said.