WELLINGTON/SYDNEY: The Australian and New Zealand dollars started weaker early on Monday, with caution in Wall Street offsetting encouraging US payroll data while markets still await Spain's request for aid.
* Aussie at around $1.0156 from NY's close of $1.0177, having dipped to $1.0150, the lowest since July 13. Aussie support now found at $1.0155, an Oct 5 low.
* It has fallen around 2 pct so far this month, weighed by the surprise rate cut last week and the prospect of more easing as the Chinese economy slows.
* Market pricing implies an 80 pct chance of a cut to 3.0 percent next month. The market has 90 basis points worth of easing factored in over the next 12 months.
* RBA Governor Glenn Stevens appears before House Economics committee at 2300 GMT to discuss a scandal at a banknote subsidiary. It is not clear whether he will address the economy.
* Aussie pressure also weighs on the kiwi, pulling it down to a one-month low of $0.8151 from NY's close of $0.8185. It last around $0.8168.
* Kiwi, which is down 1.6 pct this month, likely to follow Aussie lower, with next support seen around Sept 10's low of $0.8130, then the psychological level of $0.8100.
* NZ Prime Minister John Key dismissed Green Party's suggestion to print money to lower the kiwi dollar, pointing to inflation risk.
* US dollar pulls back after hitting a two-week high vs the yen on solid US jobs data, which also briefly lifted the euro against the greenback.
* Market participants still await Spain's request for aid, a move that would prompt the ECB to buy its bonds and lower the country's borrowing costs.
* In other markets, the S&P 500 broke a four-day string of gains, ending lower on Friday as US earnings season start this week with Alcoa. The Thomson Reuters-Jefferies CRB index was down 0.9 pct on Friday.
* Aussie softer against the kiwi at NZ$1.2419, from NZ$1.2444 on Friday. It hit a one year low of NZ$1.2361 earlier last week.
* Euro notches further gains to four-month highs against the Antipodeans at A$1.2794 and NZ$1.5925.
* Aussie and kiwi pressured against the yen, a touch softer at 80.10 and 64.21.
* Australia has job ads, while no major data due in NZ. Separately, Chinese markets reopen from holidays.
* NZ government bonds open lower in line with US Treasuries, with yields up 1 basis point along the curve.
* Australian government bond futures also fall with three-year contract down 0.020 points to 97.610, and the 10-year contract 0.050 points lower at 97.010. bs data, consolidating gains from last week which took the market to a 14-month high.
Stock index futures rose 1 point to 4,493.0, but that was 1.38 points below the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index close. The benchmark rose 0.9 percent last Friday to its highest close since August 2011.
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