Asian session: The Australian and New Zealand currencies advanced

00:30 Australia Westpac Consumer Confidence April -0.7% +0.3%

01:30 Australia Home Loans February 0.0% +0.4% +2.3%

05:00 Japan BoJ monthly economic report April

The Australian and New Zealand currencies advanced after data showed home-loan approvals increased at a faster pace than estimated in the larger nation. Home-loan approvals rose 2.3 percent in February from a month earlier, the biggest increase since September, figures from Australia’s statistics bureau showed today. That compares with the 1.5 percent growth estimated by economists in a Bloomberg News survey. A separate private report showed consumer confidence improved this month for the first time since November.

Demand for the greenback was supported before the Federal Reserve releases minutes of its March meeting today as investors weigh when the U.S. central bank will start to raise rates. The U.S. central bank reduced monthly bond purchases by $10 billion to $55 billion at the March 18-19 meeting. Fed Chair Janet Yellen said that time the central bank may start to increase interest rates “around six months” after ending its asset-buying program.

Sterling appreciated against most of its 16 major peers yesterday as data showed factory output rose in February three times faster than economists estimated in a Bloomberg survey. BOE Governor Mark Carney said rates might begin to rise before the general election in May 2015, according to an interview published on April 3 with the Northern Echo newspaper.

EUR / USD: during the Asian session, the pair traded in the range of $ 1.3785-95

GBP / USD: during the Asian session, the pair traded in the range of $ 1.6735-50

USD / JPY: during the Asian session, the pair rose to Y102.05

UK trade data at 0830GMT provides the domestic interest but attention will be set on the release of Fed Minutes later in the day (1800GMT).