Investing.com - Investing.com - The Aussie gained further in Asia after a PMI services survey in China came in better than expected, aiding sentiment ahead of the release of minutes from the Federal Reserve's latest meeting later on Wednesday.
AUD/USD traded at 0.7554, up 0.13% with the country's economic fortunes closely linked to trade with China, while USD/JPY changed hands at 110.44, up 0.09%.
In China, the Caixin services PMI for March came in at 52.2, compared with an expected level of 51.4, up from a 51.2 final in February.
The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback's strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, rose 0.12% to 94.72.
Overnight, the dollar remained moderately higher against the other major currencies on Tuesday, after the release of mixed U.S. economic reports, as investors turned their attention to the release the minutes of the Federal Reserve's March meeting on Wednesday.
USD/JPY was down 0.69% at a 17-month low of 110.57.
The Institute of Supply Management said its non-manufacturing purchasing manager's index improved to 54.5 last month from 53.4 in February, which was the lowest level in almost two years. Analysts had expected the index to rise to 54.0.
The report came after the U.S. Commerce Department said the trade deficit widened to $47.06 billion in February from $45.88 billion in January, whose figure was revised from a previously reported deficit of $45.7 billion. Analysts had expected the U.S. trade deficit to widen to $46.2 billion in February.
The dollar remained under pressure however, after last Friday's strong U.S. jobs report did little to alter the view that the Fed will stick to a cautious approach on rate hikes.
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