5.45pm
The New Zealand dollar today edged higher against the United States dollar, which has weakened on negative sentiment over current account and fiscal deficits.
At 5pm, the kiwi was at US69.58c (from US68.92c at the same time on Friday), having ranged between US69.33c and US69.70c.
It began the domestic session at US69.35c this morning.
BNZ currency strategist Sue Trinh said the kiwi was benefiting from last week's positive domestic data, and a weaker US dollar.
"It (the kiwi) is definitely holding in there in the shorter term," Ms Trinh told NZPA today.
"We're getting follow through demand on the back of the weaker US dollar and strong domestic data flow," she said.
Ms Trinh said that was also reflected on the kiwi-Australia dollar cross, which at 5pm was at A90.49c (A90.13c), having recovered from last week's upper A89c range.
"We don't expect that (the kiwi-aussie level) to be sustained too much and we think it's headed for that A89c area in the next couple of months."
In coming months, Ms Trinh also expected the kiwi to re-test the US71c region, because of the negative influence of United States' twin current account and fiscal deficits.
On the other hand, the kiwi has been buoyed by a seasonally adjusted 2.6 per cent increase in retail sales for the September quarter, while the number of jobless hit 3.8 per cent.
Meanwhile, the aussie was fetching US76.89c (US76.47c), the greenback was at 105.38 yen (105.98 yen) and the euro was at US$1.2966 (US$1.1770).
The kiwi was buying 0.5367 euro (0.5337 euro) 37.47 British pence (37.33) 73.33 yen (73.05 yen) and 0.8154 Swiss francs (0.8114).
The trade-weighted index was at 68.06 (67.65) and the monetary conditions index was at plus 853 (823).
On the money market, 90-day bank bill yields were unchanged on 6.75 per cent.
February 2006 bond yields were on 6.24 per cent (6.26), July 2009s were on 6.02 per cent (6.06) and April 2013s were at 6.09 per cent (6.12).
- NZPA
<i>Currency:</i> NZ dollar edges forward on weakening greenback
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