Investing.com - The New Zealand dollar slipped lower against its U.S. counterpart on Thursday, as demand for the greenback remained broadly supported by hopes for a December rate hike in the U.S. and as investors eyed upcoming U.S. jobless claims data for more indications on the economy.
NZD/USD hit 0.6541 during late Asian trade, the session low; the pair subsequently consolidated at 0.6549, edging down 0.18%.
The pair was likely to find support at 0.6495, the low of November 6 and resistance at 0.6632, the high of November 6.
The greenback remained supported as last week's strong U.S. employment data paved the way for the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates at its December meeting.
Market participants were turning their attention to a speech by Fed Chair Janet Yellen due later in the day, with hopes for further indications on the timing of a potential rate hike.
Investors were also eyeing an upcoming report on U.S. jobless claims for more indications on the strength of the economy, as Yellen stated last week that any potential rate hike will depend on U.S. data.
The kiwi was sharply lower against the New Zealand dollar, with AUD/NZD rallying 1.31% to 1.0905.
The Aussie strengthened broadly after the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported on Thursday that the number of employed people increased by 58.600 last month, blowing past expectations for a 15.000 rise.
The number of employed people fell by 800 in September, whose figure was revised from a previously estimated 5.100 drop.
Australia's unemployment rate ticked down to 5.9% in October from 6.2% the previous month, compared to expectations for an unchanged reading.