NZ dollar softer on risk aversion; debt steady

WELLINGTON, Feb 16 - The New Zealand dollar <NZD=> was softer on Monday as fresh gloomy domestic economic data and a fast shrinking Japanese economy kept investors cautious on risk.

* Kiwi eases to $0.5211/16 compared with local open around $0.5220 and $0.5290 in offshore trade.

* Sharp falls in New Zealand producer prices in the fourth quarter point to lower interest rates, and a survey shows activity in New Zealand's services sector falling to a record low in January.

* U.S. dollar lower against the yen after data showed Japan's economy shrank sharply in the last three months of last year. See [ID:nTKU003289]

* Kiwi a shade firmer against the yen <NZDJPY=R>, euro <NZDEUR=R> and the Australian dollar <NZDAUD=R>.

* Other NZ data this week includes National Bank of NZ's regional trends survey, giving a pointer to fourth quarter growth, due on Thursday, and NZ government fiscal accounts on Friday.

* NZ debt steady after yields inching a couple of ticks higher earlier following sharp fall in U.S. Treasuries on heightened supply worries with new stimulus plan. --------------Feb 16 snapshot at 2.00 p.m. (0100 GMT)-----------

(figures in brackets from Feb 13) 90-DAY BILLS (MAR) 96.84 (PREV 96.85) 90-DAYS 3.39 (PREV 3.45) 90-DAY BILLS (JUN) 97.17 (PREV 97.19) 07/09 3.18 (PREV 3.18) 90-DAY BILLS (SEP) 97.19 (PREV 97.21) 11/11 3.48 (PREV 3.46) NZD TRADE WEIGHTED 52.89 (PREV 52.68) 04/13 3.89 (PREV 3.87) NZD/USD 0.5211/16 (PREV 0.5215/21) 12/17 4.57 (PREV 4.55) NZD/AUD 0.7979/90 (PREV 0.7965/80) RBNZ MCI -743 (PREV -752) NZD/EUR 0.4076/81 (PREV 0.4048/53) US 10-YR 2.89 (PREV 2.78) NZD/JPY 47.72/79 (PREV 47.28/36) AU 10-YR 4.29 (PREV 4.18) ***SPREADS: NZ/US 10-YR +168 (+176) NZ/AUS 10-YR +28 *** ----------------------------------------------------------------