--------------(Snapshot at 8:30 a.m./2130 GMT)-----------------
FOREX (vs Late Sydney) DEBT FUTURES (Night Session) 0.8975 (0.8982) 90-DAY (MAR) 95.74 (95.73) 0.6576 (0.6579) 3-YR (MAR) 95.07 (95.18) 79.73 (79.81) 10-YR (MAR) 94.385(94.53) 1.2812 (1.2822) US10-YR 3.69 (3.65)
AU$S/Term range *Support *Resistance *RSI-14 *MA-10 *MA-20
*0.8750/9050 *0.8950 *0.9018 *54.64 *0.8953 *0.8871
-----------------------------(Mar 1)---------------------------
* Australian dollar offshore trading range $0.8872-0.8988.
* Australian dollar hit new 25-year highs against sterling but otherwise steady against other major currencies as investors braced themselves for a possible interest rate rise here on Tuesday.
* Local dollar strong at 0.5866 pounds after climbing as far as 0.5886 pounds, with sterling hit by a UK political poll suggesting a hung parliament.
* Sterling under pressure despite UK growing faster than expected in the last quarter at 0.3 percent, with investors worried the economy may need to be more supported with quantitative easing.
* Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Glenn Stevens speaks at a regulatory conference at 2245 GMT, but is unlikely to comment on monetary policy given the RBA's next policy meeting is on Tuesday.
* After last month's surprise decision when the RBA left rates unchanged at 3.75 percent, investors are wary of betting on its next move. Markets are priced for a 50-50 chance of a 25-basis-point rate rise on Tuesday.
* Aussie steady on U.S. dollar and yen at $0.8976 and 79.73 yen, little changed from $0.8982 and 79.81 seen here late Friday.
* Also steady on euro at 0.6576, from Friday's 0.6579, with the euro getting a reprieve on Friday on short-covering.
* But Greek debt crisis still festering and euro may fall under pressure again.
* Greece's prime minister said on Friday he would meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel this week as signs grow that diplomatic efforts are under way to help Greece through its rough patch.
* A busy week ahead for local data, with fourth-quarter balance of payments and business indicators out Monday, which will feed into the report on gross domestic product on Wednesday.
* Net exports likely subtracted from growth, while the impact of inventories is largely unknown. Analysts looking for solid GDP growth of 0.9 percent for Q4 and 2.4 pct for the year.
* Australian bond futures were little changed. Three-year futures were flat at 95.18, and ten-year futures indicated 0.015 points higher at 94.53.
* A muted session from U.S. equities on Friday, while the CRB index rebounded 1.4 percent after suffering sharp declines the previous session.
(Reporting by Koh Gui Qing)
((Guiqing.Koh@ThomsonReuters.com; Reuters Messaging; guiqing.koh.reuters.com@reuters.net; +61 2 9373 1821))
Keywords: MARKETS AUSTRALIA BONDS/FOREX (If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
* Australian dollar offshore trading range $0.8872-0.8988.
* Australian dollar hit new 25-year highs against sterling but otherwise steady against other major currencies as investors braced themselves for a possible interest rate rise here on Tuesday.
* Local dollar strong at 0.5866 pounds after climbing as far as 0.5886 pounds, with sterling hit by a UK political poll suggesting a hung parliament.
* Sterling under pressure despite UK growing faster than expected in the last quarter at 0.3 percent, with investors worried the economy may need to be more supported with quantitative easing.
* Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Glenn Stevens speaks at a regulatory conference at 2245 GMT, but is unlikely to comment on monetary policy given the RBA's next policy meeting is on Tuesday.
* After last month's surprise decision when the RBA left rates unchanged at 3.75 percent, investors are wary of betting on its next move. Markets are priced for a 50-50 chance of a 25-basis-point rate rise on Tuesday.
* Aussie steady on U.S. dollar and yen at $0.8976 and 79.73 yen, little changed from $0.8982 and 79.81 seen here late Friday.
* Also steady on euro at 0.6576, from Friday's 0.6579, with the euro getting a reprieve on Friday on short-covering.
* But Greek debt crisis still festering and euro may fall under pressure again.
* Greece's prime minister said on Friday he would meet German Chancellor Angela Merkel this week as signs grow that diplomatic efforts are under way to help Greece through its rough patch.
* A busy week ahead for local data, with fourth-quarter balance of payments and business indicators out Monday, which will feed into the report on gross domestic product on Wednesday.
* Net exports likely subtracted from growth, while the impact of inventories is largely unknown. Analysts looking for solid GDP growth of 0.9 percent for Q4 and 2.4 pct for the year.
* Australian bond futures were little changed. Three-year futures were flat at 95.18, and ten-year futures indicated 0.015 points higher at 94.53.
* A muted session from U.S. equities on Friday, while the CRB index rebounded 1.4 percent after suffering sharp declines the previous session.
(Reporting by Koh Gui Qing)
((Guiqing.Koh@ThomsonReuters.com; Reuters Messaging; guiqing.koh.reuters.com@reuters.net; +61 2 9373 1821))
Keywords: MARKETS AUSTRALIA BONDS/FOREX (If you have a query or comment on this story, send an email to news.feedback.asia@thomsonreuters.com) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.