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- NZD/USD gains ground to near 0.5960 in Thursday’s Asian session.
- Iran is expected to respond to the US proposal on Thursday.
- RBNZ’s Breman said growth is expected to be slightly slower but is still expected this year.
The NZD/USD pair trades in positive territory around 0.5960 during the Asian trading hours on Thursday. The New Zealand Dollar (NZD) strengthens against the US Dollar (USD) following reports that the United States (US) and Iran are close to a deal to end the war. Traders await the release of the US jobs report for April, which is due later on Friday.
CNN reported that Iran is expected to hand over its reply on Thursday to mediators about the US proposal to end the war. Earlier Wednesday, US President Donald Trump said the US has had “very good talks” with Iran over the past 24 hours. A potential agreement with Iran to end the ongoing conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz could lift the riskier assets, such as the Kiwi against the USD, in the near term.
The US jobs data for April will take center stage later on Friday. Economists expect a gain of 60,000 jobs for April, while the Unemployment Rate is projected to remain steady at 4.3%. If the report shows stronger-than-expected outcomes, this could provide some support to the Greenback and create a headwind for the pair.
On the other hand, New Zealand’s Unemployment Rate fell unexpectedly to 5.3% in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026 from 5.4% in the previous reading. This report has kept market expectations for a near-term rate hike by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ).
RBNZ Governor Anna Breman said early Thursday that she anticipates slightly elevated near-term inflation. She further stated that growth would be slightly slower but still expected this year.
