Foreign exchange market. Asian session: U.S. dollar traded mixed against its major peers on mixed data and Yellen commments

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

00:30 Australia Private Capital Expenditure Quarter IV +0.2% -1.3%

07:00 United Kingdom Nationwide house price index February +0.3%

07:00 United Kingdom Nationwide house price index, y/y February +6.8%

07:00 Germany Gfk Consumer Confidence Survey January 9.3 9.6

The U.S. dollar traded mixed against its major peers, adding gains against the Japanese yen and the Australian dollar. Yesterday FED Chair Janet Yellen testified before the House Financial Services Committee and reiterated that it is unlikely that the Fed will raise its interest rate in "the next couple of FOMC meetings" as the labour market is improving but inflation and wage growth are too low. A rate hike in June is seen less likely. The FED's policy is in contrast to those of its counterparts in Europe, China and Japan as they boost their economies with loose monetary policy. The euro traded almost flat against the greenback.

The Australian dollar declined versus the U.S. dollar after yesterday's gains and retreated from a one-month high. Private Capital Expenditure declined -2.2% in the fourth quarter. Analysts expected a decline of -1.2%. Data for the previous quarter was revised up from +0.2% to +0.6%.

New Zealand's dollar rose against the greenback. Visitor arrivals that came in at +3.4% compared to -1.3% in December. Data on New Zealand's Trade balance came in better-than-expected and swung to a surplus supported by increases in the exports of fruit and wine while imports declined sharply. The country recorded a 56 million surplus in January, beating forecasts of a deficit of 157 million NZD. Data on Building Permits is due at 21:45 GMT.

The Japanese yen traded lower against the greenback on Thursday on comments of BoJ board member Koji Ishida, one of the four who voted against further easing, that further changes to the monetary policy should not only aim at reaching the 2% inflation-target but to ensure long-term economic stability. He further said that it is too early to discuss an exit from the monetary easing but the BoJ should be careful in extending the monetary stimulus.

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

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

08:55 Germany Unemployment Change February -9 -10

08:55 Germany Unemployment Rate s.a. February 6.5% 6.5%

09:00 Eurozone M3 money supply, adjusted y/y January +3.6% +3.8%

09:00 Eurozone Private Loans, Y/Y January -0.5% -0.3%

09:30 United Kingdom Business Investment, q/q Quarter IV -1.4% +2.3%

09:30 United Kingdom Business Investment, y/y Quarter IV +2.7%

09:30 United Kingdom GDP, q/q (Revised) Quarter IV +0.5% +0.5%

09:30 United Kingdom GDP, y/y (Revised) Quarter IV +2.7% +2.7%

10:0 Eurozone Business climate indicator February 0.16

10:00 Eurozone Economic sentiment index February 101.2

10:00 Eurozone Industrial confidence February -5

10:15 Eurozone Targeted LTRO 129.8

13:30 Canada Consumer Price Index m / m January -0.7% -0.3%

13:30 Canada Consumer price index, y/y January +1.5%

13:30 Canada Bank of Canada Consumer Price Index Core, m/m January -0.3% +0.1%

13:30 Canada Bank of Canada Consumer Price Index Core, y/y January +2.2%

13:30 U.S. Durable Goods Orders January -3.3% Revised From -3.4% +1.7%

13:30 U.S. Durable Goods Orders ex Transportation January -0.8% +0.6%

13:30 U.S. Initial Jobless Claims February 283 285

13:30 U.S. CPI, m/m January -0.4% -0.6%

13:3 U.S. CPI, Y/Y January +0.8%

13:30 U.S. CPI excluding food and energy, m/m January 0.0% +0.1%

13:30 U.S. CPI excluding food and energy, Y/Y January +1.6%

14:00 U.S. Housing Price Index, m/m December +0.8% +0.5%

14:00 U.S. Housing Price Index, y/y December +5.3%

18:00 U.S. FOMC Member Dennis Lockhart Speaks

21:45 New Zealand Building Permits, m/m January -2.1%

23:30 Japan Unemployment Rate January 3.4% 3.4%

23:30 Japan Household spending Y/Y January -3.4% -4.0%

23:30 Japan Tokyo Consumer Price Index, y/y February +2.3%

23:30 Japan Tokyo CPI ex Fresh Food, y/y February +2.2% +2.2%

23:30 Japan National Consumer Price Index, y/y January +2.4%

23:30 Japan National CPI Ex-Fresh Food, y/y January +2.5% +2.4%

23:50 Japan Retail sales, y/y January +0.1% Revised From +0.2% -1.1%

23:50 Japan Industrial Production (MoM) (Preliminary) January +0.8% +3.1%

23:50 Japan Industrial Production (YoY) (Preliminary) January +1.0%