A catalyst for a higher Australian dollar versus New Zealand's dollar could be relative monetary policy. We expect the Reserve Bank of Australia to lift rates toward the end of the year and early next, while we expect New Zealand's economy to slow sharply next year.
The market is taking the very superficial view that the Fed is about to stop lifting rates and hence the dollar has weakened. I'm hesitant to pick this as the start of dollar weakness given that we've still got relatively illiquid trading conditions until next week.
Given the market is looking for another rate hike at the end-March FOMC meeting, it seems likely that the U.S. dollar will stay firmer over the next few weeks until the Fed has clearly signaled its present rate-tightening cycle is over.