TOKYO: The dollar was mixed in Asia Thursday after minutes from a Federal Reserve meeting and upbeat jobs data fuelled speculation of another pullback on the central bank´s stimulus measures.

The greenback bought 104.91 yen in midday Tokyo trade, up from 104.82 yen but still down from rates just above 105 yen in Tokyo late Wednesday.

The euro rose to 142.48 yen from 142.26 yen and $1.3580 from $1.3574, following positive eurozone data, including strong German factory orders, as the European Central Bank (ECB) wraps up a policy meeting later in the day.

"The dollar is in a real dogfight between those that are bent on shorting it and more fundamental-oriented players who are bidding it up," CLSA equity strategist Nicholas Smith told Dow Jones Newswires.

On Wednesday, the Fed published minutes from its December 17-18 meeting that showed policymakers expected unemployment to continue falling even without the support of its vast bond-buying programme.

SOURCE: AFP