The US dollar ticked up against the JPY after new Fed Chair Janet Yellen signalled the central bank will continue dialling down its bond purchases, while maintaining its accommodative stance on monetary policy. Emerging Market currencies also saw some gains after the news.
The Aussie jumped on solid housing and business confidence data. Average prices across the country’s capital cities rose 9.3% on-year, the Australia Bureau of Statistics said. Separately, a monthly survey by the National Australia Bank showed business confidence rose in January, the first increase in four months, while business conditions stayed close to its three-year high. Focus now will be on Westpac’s January consumer sentiment today and labour data out Thursday.
