Investing.com - The New Zealand dollar was almost unchanged against its U.S. counterpart on Tuesday, as upbeat manufacturing data from China lent support while demand for the greenback also remained supported by expectations for an early U.S. rate hike.
NZD/USD hit 0.8103 during late Asian trade, the session low; the pair subsequently consolidated at 0.8120, inching down 0.01%.
The pair was likely to find support at 0.8073, the low of September 17 and a seven-month low and resistance at 0.8206, the high of September 17.
Data earlier showed that the HSBC/Markit Flash China Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index rose to 50.5 this month, from a reading of 50.2 in August, confounding expectations for a fall to 50.0.
China is New Zealand's second biggest export partner.
Meanwhile, demand for the greenback remained supported as signs that the economic recovery is making solid progress fuelled expectations that the Federal Reserve will hike interest rates sooner than markets are expecting.
Last week, the Fed offered fresh guidance on its plans to raise interest rates, outlining in more detail how it will start to raise short term interest rates when the time comes.
The kiwi was lower against the Australian dollar, with AUD/NZD rising 0.33% to 1.0964.