* Aussie dollar back at 73 U.S. cents, notches fresh 2016 peak
* Euro gains on yen but still pressured by ECB easing expectations
By Lisa Twaronite and Ian Chua
TOKYO/SYDNEY, March 3 (Reuters) - The dollar gained in Asia on Thursday, on the eve of a U.S. jobs report that some investors hope will boost expectations that the Federal Reserve remains on track to hike U.S. interest rates this year.
The Australian dollar, meanwhile, touched a fresh 2016 high, still getting a lift from the much better-than-expected growth data released in the previous session.
The greenback was back above 114.00 yen JPY= , up 0.5 percent at 114.05 and moving back toward the previous session's two-week high of 114.56.
"The dollar is rising ahead of U.S. nonfarm payrolls report, though gains are likely to be capped until investors can see if the numbers confirm their expectations," said Ayako Sera, senior market economist at Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank.
The ADP National Employment Report showed U.S. private sector jobs rose a surprisingly strong 214,000 in February, adding to speculation Friday's payrolls report would also be upbeat. a Federal Reserve survey found that economic conditions varied considerably across regions and within sectors, clouding the employment picture and presenting a conundrum for Fed policymakers when they next meet to decide the path of interest rates on March 15-16. federal funds futures imply traders see only a 4 percent chance of the Fed raising rates at its coming meeting, according to Reuters' FedWatch program. FEDWATCH
Upbeat employment conditions would raise the chances of the central bank opting to hike interest rates later in the year, which would underpin the dollar.
The euro drifted down about 0.1 percent to $1.0858 EUR= , though it held above the previous session's one-month trough of $1.0825.
Against the yen, the common currency added about 0.5 percent to 123.86 EURJPY=R .
But some investors remained wary of buying the euro after another top European Central Bank (ECB) policymaker hinted at possible action next week, when the ECB holds its policy review.
Executive Board member Benoit Coeure said euro zone banks can deal with rock bottom interest rates and actually benefit from the central bank's efforts to prop up growth and inflation. Australian dollar added about 0.1 percent to $0.7301 AUD=D4 after earlier notching a fresh 2016 high of $0.7322 and rallying 1.7 percent on Tuesday.
Investors warmed to the currency after news fourth quarter economic growth unexpectedly picked up to a healthy 3.0 percent annual clip. Aussie was underpinned by better-than-expected trade figures showing the domestic deficit a touch lower at A$2.9 billion in January, from A$3.5 billion the previous month. the Australian currency is often a proxy play for China, due to the two countries' massive bilateral trade, the Aussie had a muted reaction to the Caixin/Markit Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), which showed that growth in China's services activity slowed in February. (Editing by Richard Borsuk)