WELLINGTON/SYDNEY: The Australian and New Zealand dollars hovered near multi-week peaks against a defensive yen on Friday as markets grew more confident that the Bank of Japan will ease next week, making the yen more attractive as a funding currency for carry trades.
Both Antipodean currencies are little changed on the greenback, with the Aussie holding near a near three-week high of $1.0412 set on Thursday.
The kiwi stands at $0.8188 , off a 1-1/2 week high of $0.8231.
Near term support for the Aussie seen around $1.0315, a level that had previously provided a floor, while $1.0500 should cap the topside. A retreat towards $1.0300 may be needed to form a base for a run to $1.0500 and beyond, traders say.
For the kiwi, demand towards $0.8150 should provide support. Technical support also seen at around that level, its 55-day moving average, and $0.8135, the 50 percent retracement of its sharp rally in early September.
Against the yen, the Aussie buys 82.29, near a four-week high of 82.51 set Thursday.
Kiwi fetches 64.98 yen , having also hit a one-month high of 65.23 on Thursday.
For the week, the Aussie is on track to end more than 2 percent higher on the yen and over 1 pct on the greenback. Kiwi up 1.5 pct on the yen so far this week, but relatively flat on the dollar after recovering from a one-month low of $0.8109 on the back of soft inflation data earlier this week.
Investors eyeing a European Union summit. A French government source says direct recapitalisation of troubled banks by the ESM bailout fund could be a reality for some lenders at the end of the first quarter of 2013. If true, will be positive for markets as it represents another step towards resolving region's debt crisis.
New Zealand government bonds slip at the long end of the curve, nudging the yield on the 2023 bond up a basis point.
Australian bond futures flat, with the three-year contract steady at 97.460, and the 10-year contract 0.015 points higher at 96.875.
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