Foreign exchange market. Asian session: U.S. dollar mixed ahead of FED interest rate decision and FOMC statement

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

00:30 Australia CPI, y/y Quarter IV +2.3% +1.8% +1.7%

00:30 Australia CPI, q/q Quarter IV +0.5% +0.3% +0.2%

07:00 Germany Gfk Consumer Confidence Survey December 9.0 9.1 9.3

07:00 Switzerland UBS Consumption Indicator December 1.29 1.42

The U.S. dollar traded slightly stronger against the euro, the British pound and the Japanese yen and lost against the New Zealand and Australian dollar after a mixed set of U.S. data yesterday, including soft spending data and disappointing earnings. Today all eyes will be on the Federal Open Market Committee Statement following the FED's interest rate decision at 19:00 GMT. U.S. indicators lost momentum lately. Some analyst see the broadly stronger dollar and falling oil prices as a reason fuelling doubts that the FED will raise interest rates as soon as previously predicted.

The Australian dollar rose for a third day against the U.S. dollar supported by solid CPI data making a rate cut next week less probable. Australia's Leading Index for December improved from -0.1% to 0.0%. Australia's CPI rose +0.2% in the fourth quarter and 1.7% year on year with both readings 0.1% below expectations and below the Bank of Australia's inflation target between 2-3%. In the previous quarter inflation rose by 0.5%, year on year +2.3%. Late in the day data on the Conference Board Australia Leading Index will be published at 23:00.

New Zealand's dollar halted its fall after trading at the weakest since 2012 on Monday. In the Asian session the currency traded stronger currently quoted at USD0.7461. All eyes are now on the RBNZ Interest Rate Decision and the Statement scheduled for 20:00 GMT. At 21:45 the Trade Balance for December will be published.

The Japanese yen traded lower against the greenback on Wednesday in the absence of any major economic data in the region. Late in the day data on Retail Sales is due at 23:30 GMT.

EUR/USD: the euro traded slightly weaker against the greenback

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

15:30 U.S. Crude Oil Inventories January +10.1

19:00 U.S. Fed Interest Rate Decision 0.25% 0.25%

19:00 U.S. FOMC Statement

20:00 New Zealand RBNZ Interest Rate Decision 3.50% 3.50%

20:00 New Zealand RBNZ Rate Statement

21:45 New Zealand Trade Balance, mln December -213 -27

23:00 Australia Conference Board Australia Leading Index November -0.2%

23:50 Japan Retail sales, y/y December +0.4% +0.9%