Foreign exchange market. Asian session: U.S. dollar stronger on the last day of the 2014

(Time/ Region/ Event/ Period/ Previous/ Forecast/ Actual

00:00 Japan Bank holiday

00:30 Australia Private Sector Credit, m/m November +0.6% +0.5% +0.5%

00:30 Australia Private Sector Credit, y/y November +5.7% +5.9%

01:45 China HSBC Manufacturing PMI (Finally) December 49.5 49.5 49.6

09:00 Germany Bank Holiday

The greenback traded stronger against its major peers in the Asian session after a better-than expected S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index and Consumer Confidence with a reading of 92.6 -below forecast but still 3.9 points higher than in the previous month. Today markets await Initial Jobless Claims, the Chicago Purchasing Managers' Index, Pending Home Sales and Crude Oil Inventories.

The Australian dollar is almost flat against the U.S. dollar. Data on Private Sector Credit for November on a monthly basis was in line with expectations with a reading of +0.5%. Year on year it rose by +5.9% compared with +5.7% in October. China's HSBC Manufacturing PMI rose from 49.5 to 49.6 beating estimates by 0.1. China is Australia's most important trade partner.

New Zealand's dollar is slightly negative after three days of gains against the greenback.

The Japanese yen lost against the U.S dollar heading for a third annual decline. After yesterday's strong performance caused by year-end profit-taking after the dollar's recent rally the yen weakened today. Finanacial markets are shut today in Japan.

Volume was thin ahead of New Year Holiday.

EUR/USD: the euro traded almost flat against the greenback

USD/JPY: the U.S. dollar traded stronger against the yen

GPB/USD: The British pound lost against the U.S. dollar

The most important news that are expected (GMT0):

(time / country / index / period / previous value / forecast)

13:30 U.S. Initial Jobless Claims December 280 287

14:45 U.S. Chicago Purchasing Managers' Index December 60.8 60.2

15:00 U.S. Pending Home Sales (MoM) November -1.1% +0.6%

15:30 U.S. Crude Oil Inventories December +7.3