Sales data took the pound higher against the kiwi, continues to climb in trading this morning

The pound made up further ground on the kiwi dollar, gaining 0.65% after positive sales data supported evidence that the UK economy is still on the road to recovery.

• The sales data, which came in above market forecasts, encouraged investors to buy back into the UK currency, with the price briefly reaching above 2.20.
  
• Conversely, selling pressure remained on the New Zealand dollar after the nation's Prime Minister expressed concern over the currency's strength, and stated that there were few tools with which to deal with it.
  
• Higher-yielding currencies were also under pressure overnight as Asian equities turned negative, with Nikkei 225 losing over a percent, dulling demand for "riskier" assets.
  
• In trading this morning the pound has continued to rally, rising to a three-week high over 2.22 as a New Zealand business confidence survey unexpectedly undershot forecasts, weakening the possibility of a hawkish RBNZ rate statement to be made this evening at 20:00.