00:00 China Leading Index April 99.38 99.8

The dollar rose against most of its major peers before U.S. data today that economists say will show consumer confidence improved and home prices gained. The Conference Board's index of U.S. consumer sentiment probably climbed to 71 this month, the highest since November, from 68.1 in April, according to the median estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. The S&P/Case-Shiller index of property values in 20 U.S. cities may have risen 10.2 percent in March from a year earlier, the biggest jump since April 2006, economists forecast.

The Dollar Index advanced amid prospects improving U.S. fundamentals will prompt the Federal Reserve to taper its monthly bond purchases of $85 billion.

The yen snapped a three-day advance versus the euro as the Bank of Japan estimated that a key component of funds in the nation's economy reached a record amid unprecedented stimulus. The BOJ estimates that deposits it holds in custody for financial companies will rise to a record 72.4 trillion yen ($711 billion) today. The current-account balance is a part of the monetary base, which the central bank plans to double in two years as it buys more than 7 trillion yen of government bonds every month to end 15 years of deflation.

EUR / USD: during the Asian session the pair fell to $ 1.2880

GBP / USD: during the Asian session the pair fell to $ 1.5065

USD / JPY: during the Asian session the pair rose to Y102.00

A light domestic data calendar, BOE Haldane to speak is due to speak in Frankfurt at at 0930GMT, BOE Tucker in London at 1700GMT. For this morning French consumer confidence and Spanish YTD budget update seen in focus in an otherwise data light calendar.