Kiwi holds gains ahead of US jobs data THE New Zealand dollar has held its gains in local trading after investors got more optimistic over global growth on the strength of Chinese services data, and ahead of US employment figures. The kiwi traded at 78.98 US cents at 5pm from 79.07 cents at 8am, up from 78.08 cents on Wednesday. The trade-weighted index advanced to 74.68 from 74 on Wednesday. Risk-sensitive assets got a boost in northern hemisphere trading after a report showed China's services sector grew. Investors held off changing their view ahead of US private payrolls data on Thursday in Washington, which is a precursor to the official non-farm payrolls figures on Friday. US employment has become a touchstone for investors when looking at the world's biggest economy as Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke has linked reducing monetary stimulus to a reduction in the jobless rate. "Liquidity's pretty thin - basically no one's dipping their toes in ahead of payrolls," said Mike Jones, currency strategist at Bank of New Zealand in Wellington. "The risk is a positive number popped the kiwi back down into the 78s," he said, referring the kiwi against the greenback. The kiwi rose to 59.89 euro cents from 59.31 cents on Wednesday, to 78.85 yen from 77.85 yen and to 86.12 Australian cents from 85.78 cents.