Late Change NZD/USD 0.8240 +0.0086 NZD/AUD 0.7947 +0.0067 NZD/JPY 63.475 +0.44 April 2013 Bond 2.985% unchanged May 2021 Bond 4.44% -1.5 bps 10-Year U.S. Spread +249 bps -5.0 bps 90-Day Bank Bill 2.97% +4.0 bps WELLINGTON (Dow Jones)--The New Zealand dollar was trading slightly higher late Tuesday after the euro strengthened overnight on reports that Chinese investors might help prop up the roiled European government bond markets, and local housing sales improved in August. A Financial Times report out late in the New York session said Italian officials were soliciting the help of a Chinese sovereign wealth fund to buy their government debt, which lifted the euro. The Kiwi also received a boost from data released by the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand Tuesday, which showed house sales rose a seasonally adjusted 4.9% in August on month. Goldman Sachs economist Philip Borkin said this was a clear sign of improving momentum in the housing market. Earlier in Asian trading, the New Zealand unit had been weighed by weaker-than-expected second-quarter domestic manufacturing data, along with comments from Finance Minister Bill English that the official cash rate may be kept lower for longer, said Bank of New Zealand currency strategist Mike Burrowes. Over the next few days, offshore concerns are going to be the main factor in giving the New Zealand dollar direction, he said, adding that investors would be particularly focused on Greece's sovereign-debt issue and the possibility of credit downgrades for French banks. New Zealand government bonds rose slightly on the longer end, while the interest-rate swap curve remained unchanged in a quiet market. -By Lucy Craymer, Dow Jones Newswires; 64-4-471-5990; lucy.craymer@dowjones.com

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