U.S. dollar stays flat

The U.S. dollar was almost flat in late trading on Friday.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback against six major peers, moved up slightly to 98.992 at 3 p.m. (2000 GMT).

In late New York trading, the euro slipped to 1.1643 dollars from 1.1652 dollars in the previous session, and the British pound fell to 1.3334 dollars from 1.3339 dollars in the previous session.

The U.S. dollar bought 155.29 Japanese yen, higher than 155.03 Japanese yen in the previous session. The U.S. dollar rose to 0.8044 Swiss francs from 0.8032 Swiss francs, and it was down to 1.3837 Canadian dollars from 1.3953 Canadian dollars. The U.S. dollar fell to 9.4059 Swedish kronor from 9.4173 Swedish kronor.

The financial zone at the upcoming 26th China International Fair for Investment and Trade (CIFIT) will double in exhibition space, with participating institutions also increasing from last year, Vice Commerce Minister Ling Ji said Tuesday.

Speaking at a press conference, Ling said this year's event will feature a series of investment-themed seminars and roadshows, and release multiple public goods and professional investment reports.

With a focus on promoting two-way investment, the fair will host a symposium with multinational companies, a launch event on cross-border investment trends, an international cooperation matchmaking event on industrial and supply chains, and some other activities, said Ling.

These will serve as two-way platforms for foreign enterprises to expand in the Chinese market and for Chinese companies to go global, he added.

"This year, both the area of the financial zone and the number of participating institutions have doubled compared with last year. A total of 140 leading financial institutions and listed companies are taking part, bringing more investment and financial service solutions as well as opportunities for project cooperation," said Ling.

The event will feature 14 specialized exhibition zones, showcasing investment opportunities in new quality productive forces, the "Silk Road Maritime" initiative, international supply chains, and other promising sectors.

To date, delegations from 123 countries and regions have registered to participate in the upcoming fair, while 60 countries and regions will set up exhibition pavilions. Multinational companies and foreign business councils have registered in large numbers, Ling noted.

"The province has already sorted out 828 investment promotion projects, which have been posted on platforms such as the 'Cloud CIFIT' and 'Invest Fujian, China.'This has provided domestic and international investors with opportunities for preliminary matchmaking and discussions," said Zhao Zenglian, vice governor of Fujian Province.

The 26th CIFIT is set to take place from September 8 to 11 in Xiamen, east China’s Fujian Province.