The New Zealand dollar rose to a four-month high as investors are attracted by the outlook for rising interest rates amid an increased risk appetite and as expectations are pared back for Federal Reserve tapering of monetary stimulus.
The kiwi rose as high as 82.48 US cents, trading at 82.37 cents at 8am in Wellington from 81.66 cents at the 5pm market close yesterday. The trade-weighted index gained to 77.10 from 76.58 yesterday.
The New Zealand dollar was the best performing currency in Northern Hemisphere trading amid expectations the Fed will announce only modest reductions to its monthly US$85 billion bond buying tomorrow following a two-day meeting. Increasing the lure of the kiwi, New Zealand Reserve Bank governor Graeme Wheeler last week indicated interest rates are set to rise next year.
"It's solely a kiwi affect," said Peter Cavanaugh, client advisor at Bancorp Treasury. "It probably is a combination of factors, the after-glow of Wheeler's comments and an accumulation of other effects, the changing global risk sentiment with Syria appearing to be calming down and the approaching Fed meeting and the tapering off of tapering expectations.
"We are the only developed nation with a central bank saying we are going to be putting up interest rates next year," Cavanaugh said. "We tick a lot of boxes."
