The dollar gained versus major curencies  as U.S. employers added more jobs than forecast last month, boosting optimism the economy is withstanding higher taxes and lower government spending.

The U.S. currency rose after the Labor Department reported the nation’s jobless rate unexpectedly fell to a four-year low of 7.7% and employment rose 236,000 last month after a revised 119,000 gain in January. The median forecast of economists projected an advance of 158,000. The jobless rate dropped from 7.9%.

Federal Reserve policy makers at their last meeting debated curtailing bond-buying that is seen as debasing the dollar, a move Chairman Ben S. Bernanke has opposed as he seeks to drive down unemployment to 6.5%.

BNP points out "median duration of unemployment increased to 17.8 months from 16.0 months in January.

EUR/USD $1.2800, $1.2950, $1.3000, $1.3075, $1.3100, $1.3130

USD/JPY Y93.75, Y94.00, Y95.00

EUR/JPY Y121.00

GBP/USD $1.4900, $1.5000, $1.5100

USD/CHF Chf0.9400, Chf0.9570

EUR/CHF 1.2300, Chf1.2400

AUD/USD $1.0200, $1.0205, $1.0250, $1.0290, $1.0300

NZD/USD $0.8355

USD/CAD C$1.0300

EUR/USD

Offers $1.3195/100, $1.3160/65, $1.3140/50

Bids $1.3080, $1.3050, $1.2965/60, $1.2950

GBP/USD

Offers $1.5200, $1.5140/50, $1.5100/10, $1.5050/60

Bids $1.4965/60, $1.4950, $1.4935/30, $1.4900

AUD/USD

Offers $1.0375/80, $1.0340/50, $1.0330

Bids $1.0220, $1.0210/00, $1.0160/50, $1.0120/15, $1.0100/070, $1.0050, $1.0020, $1.0000

EUR/GBP

Offers stg0.8800, stg0.8750/60

Bids stg0.8700, stg0.8650, stg0.8575/70, stg0.8555/50

EUR/JPY

Offers Y125.90/6.00, Y125.70/80

Bids Y123.85/75, Y123.40-20, Y122.60/50

USD/JPY

Offers Y96.80, Y96.50, Y96.00, Y95.75/80

Bids Y94.50/40, Y94.15/00, Y93.75/70, Y93.55/50

EUR/USD $1.2800, $1.2950, $1.3000, $1.3075, $1.3100, $1.3130

USD/JPY Y93.75, Y94.00, Y95.00

EUR/JPY Y121.00

GBP/USD $1.4900, $1.5000, $1.5100

USD/CHF Chf0.9400, Chf0.9570

EUR/CHF 1.2300, Chf1.2400

AUD/USD $1.0200, $1.0205, $1.0250, $1.0290, $1.0300

NZD/USD $0.8355

USD/CAD C$1.0300

02:00 China Trade Balance, bln February 29.2 -8.8 15.3

05:00 Japan BoJ monthly economic report March

05:00 Japan Eco Watchers Survey: Current February 49.5 51.2 53.2

05:00 Japan Eco Watchers Survey: Outlook February 56.5 57.7

The dollar advanced to the highest level in 3 1/2 years versus the yen on speculation an improving labor market will compel the Federal Reserve to slow stimulus even as Japan pledges to extend easing policies.

Demand for the dollar increased before a report that may show U.S. employers added more jobs in February. Economists in a Bloomberg News survey estimate the Labor Department will say today that U.S. payrolls expanded by 165,000 in February after a 157,000 gain the prior month, while the jobless rate likely held at 7.9 percent.

Europe’s common currency held gains against the dollar from yesterday after European Central Bank President Mario Draghi stuck to his view that the region will gradually recover later this year.

The yen is set to decline this week against its 16 major peers as data showed Japan had a current account deficit for a third-straight month. In Japan, Ministry of Finance data today showed the deficit in the current account, the widest measure of trade, was 364.8 billion yen ($3.8 billion) in January, compared with the median economist estimate of a 611.5 billion yen gap.

The Australian and New Zealand dollars fell after a report showed a bigger-than-expected decline in imports for China, the South Pacific nations’ biggest trading partner. China’s customs administration said today imports fell 15.2 percent in February from a year earlier, after a 28.8 percent increase in January. The median estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News was for an 8.5 percent decline in imports.

EUR/USD: during the Asian session the pair fell slightly to $1.3085.

GBP/USD: during the Asian session the pair fell to $ 1.4980.

USD/JPY: during the Asian session, the pair rose to Y95.85.

(pare/closed(00:00 GMT +02:00)/change, %)

EUR/USD $1,3106 +1,07%

GBP/USD $1,5012 -0,02%

USD/CHF Chf0,9425 -0,66%

USD/JPY Y94,81 +0,80%

EUR/JPY Y124,27 +1,86%

GBP/JPY Y142,34 +0,78%

AUD/USD $1,0266 +0,33%

NZD/USD $0,8282 0,00%

02:00 China Trade Balance, bln February 29.2 -8.8

05:00 Japan BoJ monthly economic report March

05:00 Japan Eco Watchers Survey: Current February 49.5 51.2

05:00 Japan Eco Watchers Survey: Outlook February 56.5

08:00 China New Loans February 1070 750

08:15 Switzerland Consumer Price Index (MoM) February -0.3% -0.3%

08:15 Switzerland Consumer Price Index (YoY) February -0.3%

09:30 United Kingdom Consumer Inflation Expectations Quarter I +3.5%

11:00 Germany Industrial Production s.a. (MoM) January +0.3% +0.6%

11:00 Germany Industrial Production (YoY) January -1.1% -1.2%

13:15 Canada Housing Starts February 161 173

13:30 U.S. Average workweek February 34.4 34.4

13:30 Canada Labor Productivity Quarter IV -0.5% -0.1%

13:30 U.S. Average hourly earnings February +0.2% +0.2%

13:30 Canada Unemployment rate February 7.0% 7.0%

13:30 Canada Employment February -21.9 7.8

13:30 U.S. Unemployment Rate February 7.9% 7.9%

13:30 U.S. Nonfarm Payrolls February 157 158

15:00 U.S. Wholesale Inventories January -0.1% +0.4%