Renewed sales of the Australian dollar were the main move on major currency markets on Tuesday, with the dollar, euro and yen all steady ahead of potentially more dramatic events later in the week.
The ZEW indicator of German investor confidence will provide a brief distraction from this month's dominant concerns in Europe - Scotland's vote on independence and the prospect of a clear warning of interest rate rises from the U.S. Federal Reserve.
The Aussie, generally more resistant since hitting an almost four-year low in January, has taken a hammering since the start of September, harried by the stronger U.S. dollar, poor data out of China and a slump in prices of Australia's iron ore exports.
That all adds to broad concerns about the country's ability to grow after the end of a mining investment boom and while the currency recovered briefly overnight, it was quickly back under pressure just above Monday's six-month low of $0.8984.
Read MoreECB's Weidmann signals risk for Europe's taxpayers
"It looks like there was some sort of order to sell (U.S.) dollars that went through at around 3 a.m. our time. Since then the Aussie has renewed its course," said Graham Davidson, a spot currency dealer with National Australia Bank in London.
"In general it seems to be the dollar strength that has precipitated this move but there are several factors working against the Aussie."
The Aussie was a third of a percent lower on the day in early London deals at $0.8996.
The Australian central bank, in minutes from its regular policy meeting, again cited the relative strength of the currency as a drag on the economy since it remained "above most estimates of its fundamental value".
