The yuan moved in a tight range of 8.2770 to 8.2773.

Turnover, a moderate US$360 million on Friday, was not immediately available.

"Importers bought more (US) dollars on the market today, helping push the yuan down slightly," said a dealer at a Chinese bank.

"But the yuan's fall today does not signify a downtrend."

Dealers said the yuan was likely to hover around 8.2770 in the short run, near the strong end of a band between 8.2760 to 8.2800 enforced by the central People's Bank of China.

Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of the central People's Bank of China, said last week the government would keep the yuan's exchange rate stable, although officials from Japan, South Korea and the United States have said the currency has been kept artificially low.

Yesterday, the yuan firmed against the Japanese currency to 6.8485 per 100 yen from 6.8924, and strengthened to 8.7945 against the euro from 8.8741. It firmed one notch against the Hong Kong dollar to close at 1.0608.

(China Daily April 8, 2003)