Investing.com - The Aussie was slightly stronger in early Asia on Thursday with trade and retail sales ahead while the yen tread weaker.
AUD/USD traded at 0.7046, up 0.12%, while USD/JPY changed hands at 120.55, up 0.19%.
In Australia, the August AIGroup services index is due at 0930 Sydney time (2330 GMT). Later in the morning, the July trade balance and retail sales data are all due at 1130 (0130 GMT). The trade balance for July is expected to show the deficit widened to A$3.1 billion from a deficit of A$2.93 billion in June. Retail sales data are expected to show a 0.4% month-on-month rise in July, slowing from 0.7% increase in June.
In Japan, BoJ board member Takahide Kiuchi is due to give a speech to business leaders in northern Japan. At the last BOJ meeting on Aug. 6-7, Kiuchi again proposed to lower the scale of the monetary base and Japanese government bond buying.
The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, was up 0.03% at 95.92.
Overnight, the dollar pushed higher against against the other major currencies on Wednesday, despite the release of disappointing economic reports from the U.S., as concerns over China's economic outlook began to ease.
Payroll processing firm ADP said non-farm private employment rose by 190,000 last month, below expectations for an increase of 201,000. The economy created 177,000 jobs in July, whose figure was downwardly revised from a previously reported increase of 185,000.
Data also showed that U.S. factory orders increased by 0.4% in July, missing forecasts for a gain of 0.9%.
Investors were looking ahead to Friday’s U.S. jobs report for August, for more indications on the strength of the job market and the likelihood of a near-term interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve.
The dollar gained ground higher after the Nikkei rose in early trade, dampening demand for the Japanese currency.
But the Nikkei ended slightly lower and Chinese shares were also lower after a volatile session after Tuesday’s run of disappointing manufacturing data added to fears over the global economic outlook.