NZD/USD has shed a handful of pips and.........>

KIWI: NZD/USD has shed a handful of pips and trades at $0.6538. New Zealand's

gov't published the local Q4 job ads report, which showed a 0.3% Q/Q decline.

Elsewhere, RBNZ Asst Gov Hawkesby noted that a weaker NZD has helped "insulate

the economy from the global slowdown." He mentioned several sources of

uncertainty, including how banks will respond to the 2019 capital review.

- Elsewhere, NZ gov't revealed the details of its plans to boost transport

infrastructure, as part of the NZ$12bn fiscal spending package announced in Dec.

The announcement came just one day after PM Ardern set Sep 19 as the date of the

next general election.

- Yesterday saw NZD/USD falter initially, amid the persistent coronavirus worry,

before recouping virtually all of the previous losses later in the day.

- A dip under the channel support/200-DMA would allow bears to take aim at the

$0.6500 mark. Bulls look at yesterday's hammer candlestick with hope, keeping an

eye on the 50-DMA at $0.6585, followed by the Jan 24 high of $0.6629.

- New Zealand's trade balance will be out on Thursday, with ANZ Consumer

Confidence Survey due for publication on Friday.