NEWS / Foreign Exchange

Japan September exports to US fell, surplus record high

Japanese exports to the United States fell in September from a year earlier at the fastest pace in four years but overall exports rose, pushing the trade surplus up to a record high.

The data showed that firm shipments to China, the rest of Asia and Europe continued to underpin corporate activity, but it did little to alter dominant market views that the Bank of Japan will go slow in raising interest rates.

Exports to the United States, one of Japan's biggest markets, -- fell 9.2 % from a year earlier, the biggest drop since November 2003.

USDJPY traded between USD 114.64/114.96 EURJPY traded between EUR 163.45/163.90

Aussie dollar up on high core inflation

The Australian dollar rose above 90 U.S. cents on Wednesday after a hefty 0.9 % rise in a key measure of underlying inflation sharply raised the risk of an interest rate hike as early as November.

Average underlying inflation rose 0.95 % in the third quarter, even faster than the previous quarter's 0.9 % increase. Average annual inflation picked up to 3.0 %, the very top of the RBA's comfort zone, from 2.8 % in the second quarter.

The Aussie rose to over USD 0.9040, up from USD 0.8918/23 late on Tuesday. Last week, the Aussie hit a 23-year high of USD 0.9079 against the U.S. dollar.

AUDUSD traded between USD 89.50/90.49