The Australian dollar rose as the PBOC gave a sharp boost to the CNY at the daily reference rate setting, USD/CNY down more than 0.5% from yesterday's mid-rate. The bank also injected 110bn yuan into money markets (OMOs via 7-day reverse repos) to counter a 3-week high in rates (tax payments and convertible bond sales cited for the tightness). After a series of net drains each week since the end of the LNY holiday this week saw a net injection.

The yen pared its advance toward the highest level since October 2014 amid speculation the Bank of Japan may intervene to arrest gains that threaten to undermine almost three years of monetary stimulus. Japan's currency is headed for its biggest weekly advance against the dollar in more than a month, after the Federal Reserve pared back expectations for interest-rate increases this year.

EUR/USD: during the Asian session the pair traded in the range of $1.1305-35

GBP/USD: during the Asian session the pair traded in the range of $1.4455-95

USD/JPY: during the Asian session the pair fell to Y110.80