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NZ dollar vs US dollar -
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The New Zealand dollar fell steadily against the greenback through the night, as several policymakers around the world warned that economic recovery was fragile.
That prompted investors to take profits on gains in higher-yielding currencies and assets.
Also, a weekly jobless report in the United States showed first-time claims for jobless benefits fell in the latest week, initially prompting some to buy the greenback against the yen.
By 8am the kiwi was buying US73.26 cents from US74.03 cents at 5pm on Thursday.
BNZ Capital strategist Mike Jones said the level of the New Zealand dollar against the greenback at the local open was pretty much back where it started the week.
The New Zealand dollar had briefly headed up to around US74.40 cents on Thursday - around 1.30pm - as it trailed in the Australian dollar's slipstream, after upbeat Australian jobs data showed employment across the Tasman rose by 24,500 in October, confounding forecasters expecting a 10,000 fall.
The highs for the kiwi had not lasted long, and overnight the broad-based strengthening of the US dollar knocked some of the wind out of the New Zealand currency, Jones said.
A lacklustre performance across global equity markets and downbeat comments from World Trade Organisation director general Pascal Lamy tempered appetite for risk.
That increased safe haven demand for the US dollar, at the expense of growth-sensitive currencies such as the New Zealand dollar. An easing in commodities prices added to the mix.
The New Zealand dollar edged up against the Australian dollar to AU79.31 cents at 8am on Thursday from AU79.20 cents at 5pm on Thursday, and slipped to 66.24 yen from 66.43.
The kiwi was also little changed at 0.4928 euro at the local
open, while the trade weighted index was 65.53 at 8am from 65.85 at
5pm.
