WELLINGTON/SYDNEY: The Australian and New Zealand dollars held near multi-month highs against the greenback on Friday andwere on track for a fourth straight week of gains amid a general improvement in risk appetite globally.
* The Aussie around $1.0709, from $1.0712 in NY. It rose as far as $1.0758, a level not seen since Sept 1, before settling at $1.0739 on Thursday.
* Aussie momentum still positive, having risen nearly five pct so far this year. Resistance seen in the $1.0758/1.0765 zone and support at $1.0596. A sustained break higher could open the way for a retest of the 29-year peak of $1.1081 hit in July.
* The kiwi last around $0.8338, after scaling a five-month peak of $0.8368 overnight.
* It is up more than seven pct this year, and looking stretched technically. Support still around $0.8300 while the upper Bollinger band of $0.8372 likely caps the topside.
* Euro surrenders earlier gains, steadying at $1.3140 , as Greek debt talks still weigh. But the dollar had its own burdens as a dovish-sounding Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke kept alive talk of more easing.
* The euro steady against the Antipodeans, but stays under pressure, holding around A$1.2270 against the Aussie, not too far from record low A$1.2220 struck in mid-January. It was last at NZ$1.5753, after hitting a record low of NZ$1.5708 on Thursday.
* Wall street seesawed in a tight range, with winners and losers pushed by earnings reports, while a drop in US jobless claims pointed to a slowly healing labor market. The CRB commodity index down 0.2 pct, with gold higher but copper and oil down.
* Markets await US payroll data on Friday. An upbeat result would tend to support risk sentiment, while a weak number would only add to the case for more QE.
* No major Australian data due with market looking ahead to the Reserve Bank of Australia's rate decision next week. Swap rates imply a 76 pct chance of a 25 bps cut, while interbank futures put it at 58 pct. NZ Migration due Friday.
* Aussie softer at NZ$1.2838, from NZ$1.2855 in late local trade on Thursday.
* Australian bond futures flat, in line with the Treasuries, with the three-year contract at 96.820 and the 10-year contract at 96.230.
* NZ government bond prices mostly firmer, with yields down 1 bps across the curve.
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