Investing.com - The Aussie received a solid boost from closely-watched business surveys while the yen held gains after better-than-expected current account figures.
USD/JPY changed hands at 112.65, down 0.03%, while AUD/USD traded at 0.7782, up 0.39%.
The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, fell 0.22% to 93.34.
Japan reported the adjusted current account came in at a surplus of ¥2.27 trillion, wider than the ¥1.98 trillion seen. In Australia, the NAB business confidence survey rose to plus-7 from plus-5 and the NAB business survey for September was steady at plus-14.
Overnight, the dollar held steady near 10-week highs against other major counterparts in quiet trade on Monday, as hopes for a December rate hike by the Federal Reserve continued to lend support to the greenback.
The dollar remained supported as the wage data from Friday's U.S. jobs report was seen as potentially boosting inflation.
The U.S. economy lost 33,000 jobs in September, the Labor Department reported, ending seven straight years of job growth. But the decline was driven by slower hiring due to the effects of Hurricanes Irma and Harvey.
The unemployment rate fell to 4.2%, the lowest since 2001 and average hourly earnings rose 2.9% from a year earlier.
The uptick in wage inflation bolstered expectations that the Federal Reserve will hike interest rates in December.
Safe-haven demand mildly strengthed following reports North Korea is preparing to test a long-range missile that it is believed could reach the west cost of the U.S.
GBP/USD gained, pulling away from Friday's four-week low of 1.3027 ahead of a fifth round of Brexit talks between the UK and the EU in Brussels this week.
The talks will be taking place amid growing concerns over a possible leadership battle in the UK following threats by a former Conservative Party chairman claiming the support of 30 lawmakers to topple British Prime Minister Theresa May.
The Turkish lira remained lower, with USD/TRY up 3.27% at 3.7334 after the U.S. and Turkey mutually suspended visa services on Sunday.
The move was made following last week’s arrest of a U.S. embassy employee in Istanbul for alleged involvement in the July 2016 coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Washington has dismissed the allegations as baseless.