China Yuan Little Changed Amid Subdued Inflation

                                      Vs Parity  Previous 
    USD/CNY Central Parity   6.1642               6.1728 
    USD/CNY OTC 0830 GMT     6.1210     -0.70%    6.1205 
                High         6.1220     -0.68% 
                Low          6.1151     -0.80% 

    SHANGHAI--China's yuan finished roughly unchanged against the U.S. dollar late Monday, despite the central bank's higher guidance for the currency.

    The USD/CNY pair closed at 6.1210, slightly higher than 6.1205 late Friday.

    The central bank fixed the pair at 6.1642, down from 6.1728 late Friday, after the dollar weakened globally.

    The WSJ Dollar Index, which tracks the dollar against a trade-weighted basket of currencies, was at 74.250 late Friday in New York, lower than 74.740 late Thursday. The weakening came after nonfarm payrolls data in the U.S. suggested the Federal Reserve might wait longer to taper quantitative easing.

    During the trading day, however, corporates bought the dollar, pushing down the yuan's value slightly, said a Shanghai-based trader with a foreign bank.

    "Buyers went bargain hunting on the dollar," he added.

    The yuan was slightly higher in the morning after a slight improvement in exports seen in data over the weekend. China's trade surplus widened in August to $28.6 billion from $17.8 billion in July.

    Data Monday showed China's consumer price index rose 2.6% on year in August, down from a 2.7% rise in July. However, another trader said "this morning's CPI data met expectations and should have a limited impact on the yuan."

    The yuan has gained 1.8% since the start of the year.

    Offshore, one-year dollar/yuan nondeliverable forward contracts are down at 6.2250/6.2280 from 6.2370/6.2420 late Friday, implying a 1.7% rise by the yuan over the next year.

    In the offshore yuan market in Hong Kong, where the Chinese currency floats freely, the dollar was at CNY6.1105 late Monday, lower than 6.1141 late Friday.

    Write to Chao Deng at