The yen approached the closely watched 150 per dollar level on Monday and kept traders on intervention watch after the Bank of Japan and Governor Kazuo Ueda quashed hopes of any imminent move away from its stark ultra-loose monetary policy.

British consumers are their most optimistic since the start of 2022 as they turn more hopeful about the economy with inflation on the wane and wages growing, a survey showed on Friday.

Euro zone companies are finally absorbing wage pressures and the labour market has started to soften, European Central Bank chief economist Philip Lane said on Thursday, suggesting inflation pressures from employee pay rises are finally subsiding.

Japanese consumer inflation grew above expectations in August, data showed on Friday, coming just a few hours before a Bank of Japan meeting that is expected to offer more cues on a potential move away from negative interest rates.

Japan's factory activity contracted for the fourth straight month and the service sector growth slipped to an eight-month low, a survey showed on Friday, highlighting the challenges facing the economy as it struggles to mount a strong recovery.

Japan's core inflation was steady in August and stayed above the central bank's 2% target for a 17th straight month, data showed on Friday, a sign of broadening price pressure that could heighten the case for an exit from ultra-easy monetary policy.