WELLINGTON/SYDNEY: The Australian and New Zealand dollars were holding firm on the greenback on Monday following two sessions of sharp gains, with hopes for Chinese stimulus offsetting more soft data there while global markets looked for further easing in the US
* The Antipodeans got a lift in offshore trade on Friday after US jobs for August hardened expectations that the Federal Reserve will inject more stimulus into the sluggish economy at its policy meeting this week.
* The latest Chinese data over the weekend kept investors nervous about its growth prospect. Its factories ran at their slowest rate for 39 months, but fixed asset investment remained hopeful. China is Australia's top trading partner and second for NZ.
* Aussie up at $1.0372, having climbed 1 percent on Friday to a two-week high of $1.0401. Resistance now found around $1.0400, the high on Sept 7 and a 21-DMA, while support sitting at $1.0320, a 200-DMA.
* Aussie was boosted late last week after the European Central Bank unveiled its bond buying plan to tackle the region's debt crisis that cheered risk markets.
* NZ dollar also gained as much as 1.1 pct to $0.8126, the best since Aug 27, as markets brace for more US easing. It last around $0.8112 after the Chinese data. Near-term retest of $0.8225 possible, the high on Aug 6.
* In the broader markets, US dollar dropped to a near four-month low against the euro after a smaller-than-expected rise in US jobs for August. Focus now on the Fed meeting on Wednesday and Thursday.
* Against the Antipodeans, the euro eases to 1.2330 and to NZ$1.5785, but not too far from recent two-month highs.
* Australian bond futures higher in line with Treasuries. The three-year contract rose 0.050 to 97.500 and the 10-year contract 0.055 points higher at 96.945.
* NZ government bonds also track higher, with yields around 2 bps lower across the curve.
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