The euro rose against the dollar as strong data on manufacturing activity in China, the U.S. and the euro area have led to a demand for risky assets.

Business activity in the euro area in August showed the fastest growth rate of more than two years, signaling that the euro zone's economic recovery is gaining momentum. Any data presented on Thursday Markit. The composite index of business activity, based on a survey of purchasing managers, rose in August to 51.7 against 50.5 in July, and it was the tallest of its value in 26 months. According to Markit, increased activity was observed both the industrial sector and the service sector.

Manufacturing activity in the U.S. in August rose to its highest level in five months, as rising employment and new orders accelerated. According to the data, a preliminary purchasing managers' index (PMI) for the manufacturing sector in the U.S. August rose to 53.9 against the final value of the July 53.7. This is the highest level since March.

The index of business activity in the industry was established at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas highest since June 2011, levels, and housing cost index showed growth in line with expectations at 0.7%. According to the index of leading indicators was recorded 0.6% increase in the average forecast of +0.5% m / m A few disappointing weekly statistics on the number of initial claims for unemployment benefits, which showed the growth rate up to 336 thousand with expectations of 322 thousand

Australian dollar retreated from a two-week low after the release of positive statistics from the PRC. In August, the index of production in China rose after falling to its lowest level in 11 months, that is, there are signs that the second largest economy in the world can become stronger after two quarters of decline. Preliminary index of purchasing managers in the manufacturing of HSBC Holdings Plc and Markit Economics was 50.1 against 47.7 in July.

European stocks climbed the most in three weeks as a report showed Germany’s manufacturing and services industries expanded at a faster-than-expected pace.

A measure of German manufacturing compiled by Markit Economics climbed to 52 in August from 50.7 in July. The median economist estimate had called for a reading of 51.1, according to a survey. The company’s gauge of services advanced to 52.4, beating the median estimate of 51.7.

In China, a purchasing managers’ index of manufacturing from HSBC Holdings Plc and Markit rose to 50.1 in August from 47.7 in July. Economists had predicted the PMI would climb to 48.2. Readings greater than 50 mean that activity increased.

The Federal Reserve published the minutes from its July 30-31 meeting late yesterday. They showed that almost all the participants agreed with Chairman Ben S. Bernanke’s plan to start reducing bond buying later this year if the economy continues to improve in line with forecasts.

The Federal Open Market Committee continued to expect that growth will accelerate in the second half of 2013 and into 2014. After the July meeting, policy makers affirmed a pledge to continue bond buying until they see evidence that “the outlook for the labor market has improved substantially.”

National benchmark indexes declined in every western-European market today, except Greece and Iceland. Germany’s DAX added 1.4 percent, while the U.K.’s FTSE 100 gained 0.9 percent. France’s CAC 40 rose 1.1 percent.

Ahold jumped 5.2 percent to 12.86 euros. The retailer said quarterly underlying operating income gained 5.4 percent to 338 million euros ($452 million), beating the 323.8 million-euro average estimate of 10 analysts. The company said it may make acquisitions to expand into new markets.

Home Retail Group Plc, the owner of the Argos catalog chain, added 3.6 percent to 150.3 pence. Inditex SA, the world’s largest clothing retailer, rose 3.1 percent to 103.50 euros. A gauge of European retailers advanced 1.3 percent.

IMI surged 5.8 percent to 1,491 pence. The maker of air-conditioning equipment said first-half adjusted pretax profit rose 1 percent to 170 million pounds ($265 million). That exceeded the average analyst projection of 164 million pounds in a Bloomberg survey.

A gauge of banks contributed the most to the Stoxx 600’s rally as yields on 10-year Spanish and Italian bonds dropped. Banco Popular Espanol SA jumped 5.6 percent to 3.99 euros, UniCredit SpA advanced 3.7 percent to 4.57 euros and Banco Espirito Santo SA rallied 5.2 percent to 90.4 euro cents.

West Texas Intermediate crude rose from a two-week low as the fewest U.S. workers in more than five years applied for unemployment benefits over the past month, bolstering optimism that fuel demand will accelerate.

Prices gained as claims in the month ended Aug. 17 declined to 330,500 a week on average, the least since November 2007, the Labor Department reported. Chinese manufacturing resumed expansion and output at European factories improved. WTI dropped earlier as the Federal Reserve signaled a likely reduction in economic stimulus this year.

WTI for October delivery rose 52 cents, or 0.5 percent, to $104.37 a barrel at 10:34 a.m. on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The volume of all futures traded was 22 percent below the 100-day average. The contract fell to $103.85 yesterday, the lowest close since Aug. 8.

Brent for October settlement increased 19 cents to $110 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange. Volume was 28 percent below 100-day average. The European benchmark was at a premium of $5.63 to WTI. The spread was $5.96 yesterday, the widest since June 26.

Gold prices rose after the publication of the minutes of the last meeting of the Open Market of the Federal Reserve System. The report did not give investors a clear picture of future monetary policy of the U.S. central bank.

Gold prices rose in recent weeks, however, this growth has stopped a few days before the publication of minutes of the Fed meeting, while some traders took a cautious stance.

One source of concern was the question of whether members of the Federal Reserve began to think more and more in the direction of minimizing the incentive program.

However, reports have indicated that the views of the leaders of the central bank on terms to minimize the program of bond purchases were divided, with some of them voted for a reduction in the program in a short time, while others called for greater caution. Fed officials also called exit in recent economic data "mixed", leaving traders in the dark as to the timing of the first reduction in monthly bond purchases by the central bank.

Gold fell by nearly 20 percent since the beginning of the year, but up 15 percent from a three-year low of $ 1.180,71 an ounce in late June.

The cost of the October gold futures on COMEX today rose to $ 1381.20 per ounce.

EUR/USD $1.3225, $1.3250, $1.3300, $1.3320, $1.3370, $1.3385, $1.3395, $1.3420, $1.3425, $1.3430

USD/JPY Y97.00, Y97.20, Y97.75, Y98.50, Y99.00

GBP/USD $1.5525, $1.5600, $1.5650, $1.5660, $1.5685, $1.5725

GBP/CAD C$1.6300

USD/CHF Chf0.9400, Chf0.9490

EUR/CHF Chf1.2275, Chf1.2400

AUD/USD $0.8900, $0.9000, $0.9100, $0.9125, $0.9150, , $0.9180, $0.9205

USD/CAD C$1.0380, C$1.0400

U.S. stock futures rose on better-than-estimated global manufacturing data and a report showing the American labor market is improving.

Global Stocks:

Nikkei  13,365.17 -59.16 -0.44%

Hang Seng 21,895.4 +77.67 +0.36%

Shanghai Composite 2,067.12 -5.84 -0.28%

FTSE  6,449.21 +58.37 +0.91%

CAC  4,059.74 +44.65 +1.11%

DAX 8,394.06 +108.65 +1.31%

Crude oil $103.94 +0.09%

Gold  $1374.90 +0.35%

Upgrades:

Microsoft (MSFT) upgraded from Neutral to Buy at Nomura

Downgrades:

Other:

EUR/USD

Offers $1.3500, $1.3475/85, $1.3450, $1.3410/20, $1.3380/400

Bids $1.3300, $1.3285/80, $1.3250

GBP/USD

Offers $1.5780/85, $1.5750/55, $1.5720/25, $1.5685/700, $1.5665/70

Bids $1.5560, $1.5555/50, $1.5505/00, $1.5495/90

AUD/USD

Offers $0.9150, $0.9120, $0.9090/00, $0.9075/80, $0.9045/50

Bids $0.8975/65, $0.8935/30, $0.8920, $0.8900, $0.8880/75

EUR/JPY

Offers Y132.50, Y131.95/00, Y131.80

Bids Y130.80/60, Y130.20/15, Y130.00, Y129.85/80, Y129.50

USD/JPY

Offers Y99.90/00, Y99.50, Y99.20, Y98.95/00, Y98.75/80

Bids Y98.35/30, Y98.10/00, Y97.85/80, Y97.50, Y97.20/10, Y97.00

EUR/GBP

Offers stg0.8640/45, stg0.8620/30, stg0.8600/10, stg0.8575/85

Bids stg0.8510/00, stg0.8485/75

EUR/USD $1.3225, $1.3250, $1.3300, $1.3320, $1.3370, $1.3385, $1.3395, $1.3420, $1.3425, $1.3430

USD/JPY Y97.00, Y97.20, Y97.75, Y98.50, Y99.00

GBP/USD $1.5525, $1.5600, $1.5650, $1.5660, $1.5685, $1.5725

GBP/CAD C$1.6300

USD/CHF Chf0.9400, Chf0.9490

EUR/CHF Chf1.2275, Chf1.2400

AUD/USD $0.8900, $0.9000, $0.9100, $0.9125, $0.9150, , $0.9180, $0.9205

USD/CAD C$1.0380, C$1.0400

Asian stocks fell, with the regional gauge close to wiping out all this year’s gains, as it heads for its longest losing streak since November, after Federal Reserve minutes showed officials support stimulus cuts this year.

Nikkei 225 13,365.17 -59.16 -0.44%

Hang Seng 21,875.65 +57.92 +0.27%

S&P/ASX 200 5,075.75 -24.24 -0.48%

Shanghai Composite 2,067.12 -5.84 -0.28%

Mazda Motor Corp. , a Japanese carmaker that gets 30 percent of its revenue in North America, slumped 2.3 percent.

Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., which has investments in power and banks, tumbled 8.2 percent in Manila as the nation’s stock market resumed trading after a three-day closure.

Brambles Ltd., an Australian container maker, slid 5.2 percent after its profit missed estimates.

China Shenhua Energy Co., the nation’s top coal miner by market value, rose 2.1 percent in Hong Kong after Chinese manufacturing unexpectedly expanded.

00:00 Australia Conference Board Australia Leading Index June 0.0% -0.2%

01:45 China HSBC Manufacturing PMI (Preliminary) August 47.7 48.3 50.1

The dollar advanced versus most of its major counterparts before housing and employment data that may signal continued recovery in the U.S., boosting the case for a reduction in central bank stimulus. The U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency will probably say today its house price index climbed 0.6 percent in June after a 0.7 percent advance the previous month, according to the median estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News.

The Bloomberg U.S. Dollar Index touched the highest in more than two weeks after minutes of the Federal Reserve’s July meeting showed most committee members were “broadly comfortable” with Chairman Ben S. Bernanke’s plan to start reducing bond buying this year. The FOMC will probably reduce its monthly purchases of $85 billion in bonds at its Sept. 17-18 meeting, according to 65 percent economists in an Aug. 9-13 Bloomberg survey. The median estimate is a cut to $75 billion each month.

The euro strengthened against the yen before data that may show a pickup in European manufacturing and services. An index of activity in manufacturing and services in the euro area probably rose to 50.9 in August from 50.5 a month earlier, according to a poll before data today from London-based Markit Economics.

Australia’s dollar rebounded from a two-week low after an index of manufacturing in China, the South Pacific nation’s biggest trading partner, rose to 50.1 this month from 47.7 in July, according to preliminary data published today by HSBC Holdings Plc and Markit Economics. A reading above 50 indicates expansion.

EUR / USD: during the Asian session the pair fell to $ 1.3330

GBP / USD: during the Asian session the pair fell below $ 1.5600

USD / JPY: during the Asian session the pair rose to Y98.30

Thursday is a busy day for data releases on both sides of the Atlantic, dominated by the release of the flash PMI data. The main European data gets underway from 0658GMT, when the French August flash manufacturing and services PMI data will be released. Both numbers are seen higher than the July reading, with manufacturing at 50.2 and services at 49.2. German PMI numbers will cross the wires at 0728GMT. Economists are looking form August flash manufacturing to come in at 51.1 and services at 51.7. The consolidated eurozone PMI data will be released at 0758GMT. August flash manufacturing is seen coming in at 50.7, services at 50.2 and Composite at 50.9.

Change % Change Last

GOLD 1,370.60 -2.50 -0.18%

OIL (WTI) 103.91 -1.20 -1.14%

Nikkei 225 13,424.33 27,95 0,21%

Hang Seng 21,817.73 -152,56 -0,69%

S & P / ASX 200 5,099.99 21,81 0,43%

Shanghai Composite 2,072.96 0,37 0,02%

FTSE 100 6,390.84 -62.62 -0.97%

CAC 40 4,015.09 -13.84 -0.34%

DAX 8,285.41 -14.62 -0.18%

DJIA 14,897.50 -105.44 -0.70%

S&P 500 1,642.80  -9.55 -0.58%

NASDAQ 3,599.79  -13.80  -0.38%

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

EUR/USD $1,3358 -0,44%

GBP/USD $1,5656 -0,04%

USD/CHF Chf0,9221 +0,53%

USD/JPY Y97,67 +0,37%

EUR/JPY Y130,50 -0,05%

GBP/JPY Y152,94 +0,36%

AUD/USD $0,8975 -1,03%

NZD/USD $0,7851 -1,39%

USD/CAD C$1,0478 +0,80%

00:00 Australia Conference Board Australia Leading Index June 0.0% -0.2%

01:45 China HSBC Manufacturing PMI (Preliminary) August 47.7 48.3 50.1

06:00 Switzerland Trade Balance July 2.73 2.91

07:00 France Manufacturing PMI (Preliminary) August 49.7 50.4

07:00 France Services PMI (Preliminary) August 48.6 49.3

07:30 Germany Manufacturing PMI (Preliminary) August 50.7 51.1

07:30 Germany Services PMI (Preliminary) August 51.3 51.7

08:00 Eurozone Manufacturing PMI (Preliminary) August 50.3 50.9

08:00 Eurozone Services PMI (Preliminary) August 49.8 50.2

12:30 Canada Retail Sales, m/m June +1.9% -0.3%

12:30 Canada Retail Sales ex Autos, m/m June +1.2% +0.1%

12:30 U.S. Initial Jobless Claims August 320 322

12:30 U.S. Jackson Hole Symposium

13:00 U.S. Manufacturing PMI (Preliminary) August 53.7 54.1

13:00 U.S. Housing Price Index, m/m June +0.7% +0.6%

13:00 U.S. Housing Price Index, y/y June +7.3%

14:00 U.S. Leading Indicators July 0.0% +0.5%

18:00 U.S. FOMC Member Richard Fisher Speaks

19:15 U.S. Treasury Sec Lew Speaks