Australian Dollar Rises Ahead Of U.S. Jobs Data

The Australian dollar strengthened against the other major currencies in the Asian session on Friday, as traders await U.S. jobs report, due later in the day.

The U.S. Labor Department is set to release jobs data for February, due later. Economists expect the job growth to fall to 240, 000 in February from 257,000 in January, while the unemployment rate is forecasted to drop 5.6 percent from 5.7 percent.

A strong reading could prompt the Federal Reserve to hike rates soon.

Sentiment also improved after the European Central Bank detailed its bond-buying program.

ECB President Mario Draghi revealed on Thursday that the bank will purchase $66.3 billion worth of bonds each month beginning on March 9 and expects the impact from it stimulus measures to return inflation to the euro area next year. The central bank previously indicated that the $1.1 trillion asset purchase program is expected to continue until September of 2016.

At its monetary policy meeting, the ECB maintained its interest rates unchanged for a fifth consecutive session. The ECB also raised its forecast for European economic growth in 2015 to 1.5 percent from 1 percent.

Meanwhile, data from the Australian Industry Group showed that the construction sector in Australia contracted at a faster pace in February, with a Performance of Construction Index score of 43.9.

That's down significantly from 45.9 in January, and it moves further beneath the boom-or-bust reading of 50 that separates expansion from contraction. Overall, it's the fourth straight month of decline.

Thursday, the Australian dollar showed mixed trading against its major rivals. While the Australian dollar fell against the U.S. dollar, the yen and the Canadian dollar, it rose against the euro and the NZ dollar.

In the Asian trading today, the Australian dollar rose to an 8-day high of 1.0419 against the NZ dollar and a 2-day high of 0.9745 against the Canadian dollar, from yesterday's closing quotes of 1.0388 and 0.9715, respectively. If the aussie extends its uptrend, it is likely to find resistance around 1.05 against the kiwi and 0.99 against the loonie.

Against the U.S. dollar, the yen and the euro, the aussie edged up to 0.7812, 93.75 and 1.4112 from yesterday's closing quotes of 0.7781, 93.47 and 1.4169, respectively. On the upside, 0.80 against the greenback, 95.49 against the yen and 1.39 against the euro are seen as the next resistance levels for the aussie.

Looking ahead, the German industrial production for January is due to be released at 2:00 am ET.

In the European session, Swiss CPI for February, U.K. BoE/GfK's consumer inflation expectations for next 12 months and first estimate of Eurozone fourth quarter GDP data are slated for release.

In the New York session, U.S. jobs data for February, trade balance and consumer credit - both for January and Canada trade data for January are set to be published.

At 1:30 pm ET, U.S. Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Richard Fisher will deliver a speech on "State of the Economy and Farewell, Dallas" before a Dallas Regional Chamber luncheon.