New Zealand $ at record peak versus Aussie

24 Mar, 2015

The Australian and New Zealand dollars held hefty gains versus a broadly weaker US counterpart on Monday, while the kiwi scaled an all-time peak against its Australian neighbour. The kiwi edged up to $0.7561, having jumped more than 2 percent on Friday to a peak of $0.7598, the highest since March 4.
The Australian dollar stood at $0.7785, after it rose more than a cent in the previous session near 78 cents. It gained 1.6 percent for the week, the biggest increase in a year, well off a six-year trough of $0.7561 plumbed earlier in the month.
Resistance was found at $0.7840 with support at $0.7770.
The Federal Reserve's concern about the strength of the dollar was seen underpinning the commodity currencies.
"No doubt the offshore investors community will hungrily be eyeing New Zealand's yield advantage," said BNZ strategist Raiko Shareef in a note, with little local data over the next few weeks to weigh on the kiwi.
The kiwi rose 3.1 percent last week, its largest increase in 18 months. Near term support for the kiwi was seen at $0.7560 with the mid-March high of $0.7611 the first major hurdle higher.
Preference for the kiwi also resulted in it notching record highs against the Aussie, which fell to a low of NZ$1.0248 before edging up to NZ$1.0280.
The euro slid to a life time low of NZ$1.4247 on Friday to be at NZ$1.4279.
The kiwi's across-the-board strength pushed its trade weighted basket to a two-month high.
The main local event for the currency is dairy giant Fonterra's first-half result and update on its milk payout forecast on Wednesday, which will also see monthly trade data.
New Zealand government bonds traded with a hint of a bid tone that nudge yields half a tick lower.
Australian government bond futures retreated from highs, with the three-year bond contract off a tick at 98.270. It touched an all-time peak of 98.310 last week. The 10-year contract shed 1.5 ticks to 97.6050.
Two-year cash yields plumbed a record trough of 1.73 percent, well under the cash rate of 2.25 percent.

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