The Australian dollar rose against the greenback on Monday, underpinned by prospects of an interest rate rise, while both it and the New Zealand dollar outperformed a euro shaken by heightened sovereign debt worries. The Australian dollar gained around 0.70 percent to a session high of $1.0779, reversing a portion of last week's 2.5 percent fall - its biggest weekly decline since January.
The New Zealand dollar firmed to around $0.7930 in late trade from New York's $0.7909, well-off from last week's 4-week trough of $0.7816. The euro was last at A$1.3356, having skidded more than 4 pct in the last two sessions. On the kiwi, it fetched NZ$1.8142 after a 4 pct fall in the same number of sessions.