KEY POINTS:
A weaker US dollar kept the New Zealand currency firm during the day and brokers were predicting it would push higher.
The kiwi dollar closed near session highs at US68.52c compared to yesterday's US68.01c and an overnight peak of US68.63c was near the 10-month high.
The local currency was benefiting from soft US data which was prompting talk of interest rate cuts to avoid recession, ANZ senior dealer Mark Elliott said.
"The world is selling US dollars, and it doesn't look finished ."
He said the kiwi could climb to US71c-72c over the next month or two.
Today, however, the session showed signs of profit-taking , but was driven up late in the afternoon by a n Asian order.
Mr Elliot forecast an overnight range of US68.30c-US69.30c.
Reuters currency rates:
5pm today 5pm yesterday
NZ dlr/US dlr US68.52c US68.01c
NZ dlr/Aust dlr A86.69c A86.66c
NZ dlr/euro 0.5168 0.5164
NZ dlr/yen 79.24 79.04
NZ dlr/stg 34.82p 34.90p
- NZPA