Investing.com - The Aussie traded weaker on Tuesday in Asia after a survey on business disappointed, though China industrial output figures provided a bright spot.
China reported fixed asset investment for January rose 8.9%, beating an 8.2% gain expected year-on-year, industrial production rose 6.3%, higher than the 6.2% increase seen, while retail sales showed a 9.5% gain, missing the expected 10.5% increase.
The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, fell 0.03% to 102.23.
Earlier in Australia, NAB reported business confidence for February came in a plus-7, compared with a previous reading of plus-10, along with the NAB business survey at plus-9, compared with a previous reading of plus-16.
AUD/USD traded at 0.7560, down 0.15% after the NAB and China figures. USD/JPY changed hands at 114.81, down 0.06%. GBP/USD traded at 1.2208, down 0.08%.
Global financial markets will be busy with central bank meetings in the week ahead, with policy decisions due in the U.S., Japan, the U.K and Switzerland.
Investors were awaiting the outcome of the Fed’s two-day policy meeting on Wednesday, with a rate hike almost fully priced in by markets, according to Investing.com's Fed Rate Monitor Tool.
Investors will also keep an eye out for headlines coming out of a two-day meeting of G20 central bankers and finance ministers in Germany for further hints on the strength of the global economy and the future direction of monetary policy.
Overnight, the pound was one the biggest gainers against the greenback, after Scottish First Minister Nicola Surgeon announced in a speech Monday, the Scottish Government will move to hold a second referendum on independence from the United Kingdom.
On the Brexit front, expectation grew that British Prime Minister Theresa May could trigger Article 50, which formally starts the Brexit process, as early as Tuesday, as ministers believe MPs will reject the two changes made to the Brexit bill in the House of Lords when they debate it this week.