By Ankur Banerjee
       SINGAPORE, Aug 29 (Reuters) - The dollar was tentative
on Tuesday as traders resisted placing large bets ahead of a
slew of economic data this week, while the yen struggled near
levels that triggered intervention last year. 
    The dollar index, which measures U.S. currency
against six key rivals, eased 0.077% at 103.85, after slipping
0.2% on Monday. The index is up 2% this month as resilient
economic data bolstered expectations that interest rates may
stay higher for longer. 
    That view gained more traction in the wake of Fed Chairman
Jerome Powell on Friday suggesting that further rate increases
may be needed to cool still-too-high inflation, though his
promise to move with care at upcoming meetings provided for some
uncertainty.
    With the U.S. central bank highlighting the interest rate
path will be heavily dependent on data, the spotlight will be on
a batch of economic indicators this week, including payrolls and
personal consumption expenditure. 
    First up is job openings figures for July later in the day.
Economists polled by Reuters expect job openings to come in at
9.465 million, easing slightly from June.
    Carol Kong, currency strategist at Commonwealth Bank of
Australia, said stronger than expected jobs data could boost
market pricing for another Fed rate hike and push up the dollar.
    Markets are pricing in a 78% chance of the Fed standing pat
on interest rates next month, CME FedWatch tool showed, but the
odds of a hike in the November meeting is now at 62% compared
with 42% a week earlier. 
    "Our base case is that the Fed has completed its tightening
cycle and will begin its easing cycle in March 2024," CBA's Kong
said. 
    "But Powell's hawkish comments at Jackson Hole suggest the
risks are skewed to more tightening and a later start to the
easing cycle." 
    Elsewhere, traders are keeping a watchful eye on any signs
of a possible intervention from Japanese authorities as the yen
wallows near a nine-month low against the dollar. 
    The yen inched up 0.12% to 146.36 per dollar in
Asian hours but remained close 146.75, its lowest level since
Nov.9.   
    Japan intervened in currency markets last September when the
dollar rose past 145 yen, prompting the Ministry of Finance
(MOF) to buy the yen and push the pair back to around 140 yen.
The yen is down 11% against the dollar for the year.
    Japan's low yields have made the currency an easy target for
short-sellers and funding trades, with the widening gap in 
interest rates between Japan and the United States leading to
persistent weakness in the yen.        
    "If U.S. data, and consequently U.S. yields, continue to be
firm, we could see increasing pressure on yen," Charu Chanana,
market strategist at Saxo, said.
    Chanana said the intervention threat has retreated at
sub-150 levels, given lack of any currency related comments from
Ueda at the Jackson Hole conference and no signs of verbal
intervention yet. 
    The euro was up 0.11% at $1.0829 ahead of euro
zone inflation data later this week. The single currency is up
for the second straight day, stepping away from the two month
low it hit last week.      
    Sterling was last at $1.2616, up 0.10% on the day,
also moving off two-month lows from last week. 
    The Australian dollar added 0.03% to $0.643, while
the New Zealand dollar eased 0.02% to $0.591.
    
    ========================================================
    Currency bid prices at 0200 GMT
 Description      RIC         Last           U.S. Close  Pct Change     YTD Pct     High Bid    Low Bid
                                              Previous                   Change                 
                                              Session                                           
 Euro/Dollar                  $1.0834        $1.0819     +0.14%         +1.11%      +1.0838     +1.0817
 Dollar/Yen                   146.3450       146.5350    -0.13%         +11.52%     +146.5000   +146.3500
 Euro/Yen                                                                                     
 Dollar/Swiss                 0.8828         0.8840      -0.06%         -4.46%      +0.8837     +0.8829
 Sterling/Dollar              1.2624         1.2599      +0.20%         +4.39%      +1.2626     +1.2601
 Dollar/Canadian              1.3599         1.3599      -0.02%         +0.35%      +1.3605     +1.3592
 Aussie/Dollar                0.6435         0.6430      +0.09%         -5.60%      +0.6439     +0.6422
 NZ                           0.5913         0.5910      +0.08%         -6.86%      +0.5917     +0.5904
 Dollar/Dollar                                                                                  
                                                                                                
    
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 (Reporting by Ankur Banerjee in Singapore
Editing by Shri Navaratnam)