Kiwi extends gains after data

The New Zealand dollar rose on Thursday against most major currencies following the release of economic data.

Government data published earlier today showed that New Zealand’s quarterly inflation expectations for Q3 2025 came in at 2.28%, slightly down from the previous reading of 2.29%.

As of 21:00 GMT, the New Zealand dollar climbed 0.5% against the US dollar to trade at 0.5959.

Australian Dollar

The Australian dollar also advanced against its US counterpart, rising 0.2% to 0.6518 as of 21:00 GMT.

US Dollar

The US dollar index was flat at 98.1 as of 20:44 GMT, after hitting a high of 98.4 and a low of 97.9 earlier in the session.

On the policy front, President Trump announced late Wednesday the imposition of a 100% tariff on imported semiconductors, with an exemption for companies that "manufacture within the United States."

“We will impose very large tariffs on chips and semiconductors,” Trump said Wednesday. “But the good news for companies like Apple is: if you manufacture in the United States or commit without a doubt to manufacturing in the US, you won’t face any tariffs.”

Meanwhile, government data showed that seasonally adjusted initial jobless claims in the US rose to 226,000 for the week ending August 2, up by 7,000 from the previous week and above analyst expectations of 221,000.