Foreign exchange market. Asian session: U.S. dollar traded mixed against its major peers

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

00:30 Australia RBA Financial Stability Review

07:00 Switzerland UBS Consumption Indicator February 1.11 1.19

The U.S. dollar is trading mixed against its major peers after a mixed set of data reported yesterday. The U.S. consumer price inflation rose 0.2% in February, in line with expectations, after a 0.7% decline in January. The increase was driven by higher gasoline prices. On a yearly basis, the U.S. consumer price index climbed to zero in February from -0.1% in January. Analysts had expected the index to remain unchanged at -0.1%. On a yearly basis, the U.S. consumer price index excluding food and energy climbed to 1.7% in February from 1.6% in January. Analysts had expected the index to remain unchanged at 1.6%. Preliminary data on the U.S. manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) rose to 55.3 in March from 55.1 in February, beating expectations for a decline to 54.9.

Today market participants will closely watch FOMC Member Charles Evans comments and Durable Goods Orders.

The euro is trading almost flat against the greenback after yesterday's decline. Yesterday the single currency reached an intra-day high of USD1.1029 on solid PMI data from the Eurozone before reversing gains.

The Australian dollar declined against the U.S. dollar. At 00:30 the RBA published its biannual Financial Stability Review. The bank said that housing picked up as mortgage rates followed a cut to record lows of the benchmark interest rate to 2.25% in February and warned that there is a risk of a large re-pricing in the commercial property sector. Australia's labour market is weakening due to lower investments in the mining sector which could lead to more household stress - currently the unemployment rate is at a record high of 6%. The Australian banks continue to perform well.

New Zealand's dollar lost against the greenback during the Asian session in the absence of any major data from the region. Yesterday data on New Zealand's Trade Balance came in at a surplus of 50 million in February, compared to revised NZD33 million in January (revised down from NZD56 million). Analysts expected a surplus of NZD392 million.

The Japanese yen traded almost flat against the greenback on Wednesday, a light data day for the Asian region.

EUR/USD: the euro traded lower against the greenback

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

09:00 Germany IFO - Business Climate March 106.8 107.4

09:00 Germany IFO - Current Assessment March 111.3

09:00 Germany IFO - Expectations March 102.5

09:30 United Kingdom BBA Mortgage Approvals February 36.4 36.9

10:30 U.S. FOMC Member Charles Evans Speaks

12:30 U.S. Durable Goods Orders February +2.8% +0.2%

12:30 U.S. Durable Goods Orders ex Transportation February 0.0% Revised From +0.3% +0.4% 14:00 SwitzerlandSNB Quarterly Bulletin Quarter I

14:30 U.S. Crude Oil Inventories March +9.6

19:45 Canada Gov Council Member Lane Speaks