USD/JPY changed hands at 111.78, down 0.13%, while AUD/USD traded at 0.7650, up 0.12%.
On the slate in Japan, household spending for February is seen down 1.7% year-on-year. Also on the list, national core CPI is expected up 0.2% for February year-on-year, while unemployment is seen flat at 3.0%. Provisional industrial production for February is expected up 1.2%.
Later, Australia reports private sector credit for February with a 0.5% gain expected month-on-month. Then comes the semi-official China manufacturing PMI for March seen at 51.6 as well as the non-manufacturing PMI, reported at 54.2 in February.
The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, was last quoted at 100.45.
Overnight, the dollar rose against a basket of major currencies on Thursday, after a flurry of bullish comments from Federal Reserve officials offset news that the Trump administration is studying ways to penalize currency manipulators.
day, the Trump administration is “assessing the scope of its power to penalize countries whose currencies it believes are undervalued”.
In what was quiet day on the economic data front, better than expected U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) and a flurry of bullish comments from Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester and San Francisco Fed President John Williams supported upside momentum in the greenback.
The Commerce Department earlier reported that U.S. gross domestic product grew faster than previously reported in the fourth quarter.
Cleveland Federal Reserve reiterated her hawkish view concerning interest rate hikes Thursday, as she said that “further removal of accommodation via increases in the fed funds rate will be needed” should economic conditions “evolve as anticipated”.
Fed President John Williams, tapered some of his bullish rhetoric on the U.S. economy, after he said even though the economy shows “consistent” and “encouraging” signs, “housing still isn’t quite back”.
Meanwhile, sterling held firm a day after Prime Minister Theresa May triggered Article 50.
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