SYDNEY/WELLINGTON: The Australian dollar held near lifetime highs against the euro on Wednesday, which stayed under broad pressure partly on worries a German court challenge to the euro zone bailout fund may delay aid to indebted countries.
The euro buys A$1.2025, having fallen over a cent to as deep as A$1.1974 overnight. It has lost nearly 3 percent so far this month. Against the kiwi, it fetches NZ$1.5423, near the record trough of NZ$1.5341 set Monday.
Versus the greenback, Aussie trades up 0.1 pct at $1.0192, but stays within sight of Monday's trough at $1.0155, where initial support lies.
Kiwi also quiet around $0.7946, not far off a one-week low of $0.7929 plumbed earlier in the week.
Kiwi seen range trading, with support holding at $0.7930, a retracement level. Traders expect it will struggle to gain beyond $0.8000, barring a shift to more positive risk sentiment. Kiwi's 100-DMA around that level provides technical resistance.
The Antipodeans wallows near two-week lows on the yen , with the Aussie at 80.87 and the kiwi around 63.03.
A measure of Australian consumer sentiment bounced in June as investors became more optimistic about their finances and the economy following recent rate cuts.
Interbank futures still factoring in nearly 75 bps worth of cuts over the next 12 months.
Speech by RBA Deputy Governor Philip Lowe fails to rouse markets. Lowe says at 3.5 pct, the cash rate is around 1.5 ppts lower than otherwise to compensate for higher credit costs in the economy.
NZ data points to weak tourism, with short-term stays down 0.3 pct in May from a year ago, the fifth straight monthly dip due to a fall in international tourists.
NZ rate market steady, with markets still pricing in 14 pct chance of a rate cut at the next rate review later this month due to euro zone uncertainty.
NZ government bonds steady.
Australian government bonds a touch softer with the three-year contract 0.01 point lower at 97.700, while the 10-year contract also down 0.01 point at 97.100.
Germany's top court agreed on Tuesday to examine complaints lodged against the EU's bailout fund and new budget rules but gave no date for its verdict, keeping investors on tenterhooks over the prospects for overcoming the euro zone crisis.
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