Asian session: The dollar rose versus its Asia-Pacific counterparts

00:30 Australia Leading Index June +0.2% 0.0%

02:00 China Leading Index July +1.0% +1.4%

03:00 New Zealand Credit Card Spending July +5.4% +4.7%

The dollar rose versus its Asia-Pacific counterparts as investors await the release today of minutes from the Federal Reserve’s last meeting for signals on when it may curtail monetary stimulus. The Fed will publish today its July meeting minutes that may offer clues on whether policy makers will start reducing their $85 billion of monthly bond purchases known as quantitative easing or QE. The Federal Open Market Committee next gathers on Sept. 17-18 and will probably to reduce the program at that meeting, according to 65 percent of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News Aug. 9-13. The central bank has said it will keep benchmark rates near zero at least as long as unemployment is above 6.5 percent and inflation is no more than 2.5 percent.

The greenback extended gains against the Australian and New Zealand dollars into a third day.

The yen erased earlier losses as Asian stocks fell and Japanese regulators raised the severity of a radioactive water leak in Fukushima.

The euro was near a six-month high before manufacturing and services data tomorrow that may add to evidence of a recovery in the region.

EUR / USD: during the Asian session the pair traded in the range of $ 1.3415-35

GBP / USD: during the Asian session the pair traded in the range of $ 1.5645-70

USD / JPY: during the Asian session the pair rose to Y97.60

Across the Atlantic, the US data gets underway from 1100GMT, when the MBA Mortgage Index for the August 16 week will be released. At 1400GMT, the July Existing Home Sales data will be released. The pace of existing home sales is expected to rebound to a 5.20 million annual rate in July after slowing in June. Sales are still well above their year ago levels and should continue to move higher. In contrast, home supply remains well below its year ago level despite an upward trend over the last five months. The relatively low supply appears to be holding back sales, but lifting sales prices. The EIA Crude Oil Stocks data for the August 16 week will be published at 1430GMT. Perhaps the session's main release will be the FOMC minutes for the July 30/31 meeting at 1800GMT. Once again, the markets will be on "tapering" alert and any further positioning from Fed voters.