The Australian and New Zealand dollars looked set to end the week on a firm note versus their US counterpart and held near eight-month peaks against the yen on expectations of further monetary easing in Japan. The Aussie edged up to $1.0394 from $1.0381 in late local trading Thursday in a subdued session as markets in Japan and the United States were shut for a public holiday.
Traders cited demand from domestic importers and option-induced supply at $1.0400, while downside buyers stood around $1.0345/50. Technical support was seen at $1.0315, a 200-DMA and a lower Bollinger band, with resistance at $1.0400. The kiwi was firmer at $0.8166 versus $0.8155 late on Thursday. Support was found around $0.8135, the 50 percent retracement of a sharp rally in September, which has provided a floor for the past two months. Key resistance was seen at $0.8200.