5.32pm
The kiwi is safely ensconced above US67c, gaining on the back of a broadly weaker greenback.
At 5pm today the kiwi trading at US67.84c, from US66.92c at 5pm yesterday, and US67.81c at 8.30am today.
Westpac currency dealer Basil Payn said the kiwi had consolidated gains made overnight.
He said the kiwi was now likely to find support around US67.50c to US67.60c and could test US68.10c overnight, as long as the US dollar remained weak.
On the data front today, the Bank of Japan's quarterly "tankan" survey of business sentiment was stronger than expected at plus 26, compared to market forecasts for a reading of plus 23. The number was the strongest since May 1991.
From the US, the Institute for Supply Management's (ISM) report on national manufacturing activity is due out overnight. The ISM is expected to show US factory activity cooling slightly in September.
Data released in the US last night showed initial jobless claims rose for the third straight week, climbing to 369,000 in the week ended September 25 from a revised 351,000. The rise defied Wall Street economists' expectations for a fall to 340,000.
Personal income and spending numbers, also released last night, showed US spending was unchanged in August after climbing a revised 1.1 per cent in July, while income rose 0.4 per cent, compared with 0.2 per cent the previous month.
Meanwhile at 5pm today, the aussie was at US72.60 (US71.61c at 5pm last night), the euro was buying US$1.2423 (US$1.2323 ) and the greenback was buying 110.14 yen (110.91).
On the crosses the kiwi was fetching A93.44c (A93.40c), 37.49 British pence (37.20) 74.71 yen (74.23), 0.8457 Swiss francs (0.8431), and 0.5460 euro (0.5430).
The New Zealand dollar trade-weighted index (TWI) was at 68.37 (67.86), while the monetary conditions index was at plus 876 (838).
In the money market, 90-day bank bill yields were at 6.75 per cent (6.74).
On the bond market, February 2006s were unchanged at 6.27 per cent, July 2009s were at 6.15 per cent (6.16) and April 2013s were at 6.13 per cent (6.14).
- NZPA
<i>Currency:</i> Kiwi gains on weak greenback
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.