Asian session: The dollar held a gain against most of its 16 major counterparts

00:00 U.S. FOMC Member Narayana Kocherlakota

00:30 Australia Leading Index February -0.1% 0,0%

02:00 China Retail Sales y/y March +11.8% +11.9% +12.2%

02:00 China Fixed Asset Investment March +17.9% +18.1% +17.6%

02:00 China Industrial Production y/y March +8.6% +9.1% +8.8%

02:00 China GDP y/y Quarter I +7.7% +7.4% +7.4%

04:30 Japan Industrial Production (MoM) (Finally) February -2.3% -2.3% -2.3%

04:30 Japan Industrial Production (YoY) February +6.9% +6.9% +7.0%

The dollar held a gain against most of its 16 major counterparts as investors sought haven assets amid tension in Ukraine and before Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen speaks today. Yellen is scheduled to address the Economic Club of New York today, followed by a Q&A session. The Fed chief said in March that the central bank may start to increase borrowing costs “around six months” after concluding its asset-buying program, which economists forecast will end in October.

The greenback’s appeal as the world’s reserve currency was enhanced as deadly clashes in Ukraine prompted the U.S. and European Union to consider adding to sanctions against Russia. Ukraine unleashed an offensive to dislodge militants from cities in the eastern Donetsk region as authorities in the capital Kiev said Russian special forces were identified among the anti-government groups.

Australia’s dollar erased an earlier loss after a report showed growth was stronger than forecast in China, the South Pacific nation’s biggest trading partner.

The yen fell as Japanese stocks rose the most in almost two months. Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda told parliament today the central bank will make the utmost effort to achieve 2 percent inflation. He said it was not appropriate to discuss an exit from stimulus at such an early stage, and doing so could invite market confusion.

New Zealand’s dollar declined against all of its 16 major peers after government data showed consumer prices rose 1.5 percent on an annual basis in the first three months of the year, moderating from a 1.6 percent gain in the previous quarter. The median estimate of economists in a Bloomberg poll was for a 1.7 percent increase.

EUR / USD: during the Asian session, the pair traded in the range of $ 1.3805-20

GBP / USD: during the Asian session, the pair traded in the range of $ 1.6720-35

USD / JPY: during the Asian session, the pair rose to Y102.25

UK employment data at 0830GMT with market showing expectation for numbers on the stronger side (especially earnings data). (Corrects Yellen speech from 1215GMT to 1615GMT/1215ET) The first of several Fed speakers is due at 1230GMT, when Federal Reserve Governor Jeremy Stein takes part in a panel discussion on quantitative easing, at the ongoing Atlanta Fed Conference in Stone Mountain, Georgia. The main event of the day may be at 1615GMT, when Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen delivers a speech to the Economic Club of New York. Also, at 1725GMT, Dallas Fed President Richard Fisher delivers a speech on the US and regional economic outlook in Austin, Texas.