China's currency, the yuan, weakened slightly against the US dollar on Monday, the first trading day of 2009, according to the People's Bank of China, the country's central bank.

The central parity rate of the yuan was 6.8367 yuan to the US dollar, down 0.0021 yuan from December 31.

Meanwhile, the yuan edged up to 9.5382 against the euro from 9.659 yuan.

The central parity rate is allowed to fluctuate within a band of 0.5 percent on either side of the mid-point.

(Xinhua News Agency January 5, 2009)