Aussie & kiwi dollars steady as data bolsters sentiment

WELLINGTON/SYDNEY: The Australian and New Zealand dollars were steady on the US dollar on Monday as strong Chinese and euro zone data underpinned risk sentiment, while holidays across much of Asia kept flows extremely thin.

* Aussie around $1.0319, from $1.0289 late locally on Friday, after ranging $1.0296 to $1.0358 in the offshore session. It touched a three month low of $1.0256 last week.

* Aussie seen supported around $1.0295, Friday's intra-day high, and below that the year low of $1.0256, with the topside capped at $1.0345.

* Aussie draws support from Friday's Chinese trade numbers which showed a solid rise of 13 percent in imports from Australia in January.

* The New Zealand dollar also solid at $0.8358 a fraction above Friday's late local close, after it traded $0.8340 to $0.8388 in the offshore session.

* Kiwi has been clawing back lost ground since it plunged from an 18-month high of $0.8493 hit a week ago following sof6t domestic jobs numbers. Near term support seen at $0.8310 with $0.8390 resistance.

* The yen jumps after Japan's finance minister Taro Aso said the currency's slide to 92, from 78 per dollar, was steeper than intended.

* Doubts also rise on whether the next governor of the Bank of Japan will act boldly after a Reuters report said Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe faces opposition from within his own cabinet and financial bureaucrats to appoint a new BoJ governor who will pursue aggressive easing policies.

* Antipodeans edge higher on the yen, with the Aussie at 95.71 and the kiwi at 77.64 yen.

* German data shows a 2012 surplus, the country's second-highest in more than 60 years, an indication of the underlying strength of Europe's biggest economy. US trade gap fell to its narrowest in nearly three years in December, supporting stock and commodity markets.

* Currency speculators increase their bets against the US dollar in the latest week, according to data from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission released on Friday.

* Trading will be thinned this week with China and much of Asia closed for the Lunar New Year holidays. However, a slew of statements from US Federal Reserve speakers is expected, along with a G20 meeting on Thursday and Friday attended by global finance ministers and central bank governors.

* Local data calendars light, with Australia seeing business and consumer confidence measures, and a speech by RBA assistant governor Christopher Kent. New Zealand has property reports, PMI, and retail numbers.

* New Zealand government bonds open with a softer tone that sees yields up to 2.5 basis points higher.

* Australian government bond futures edged up offhsore Friday. The three-year contract 0.010 points higher at 97.190 and the 10-year contract gaining 0.015 points at 96.565.