NZD/USD gains traction above 0.5650 ahead of US NFP release

• NZD/USD trades in positive territory around 0.5680 in Friday's Asian session. 
• The employment report keeps the RBNZ on track to cut by 50 bps in February. 
• Fed officials said uncertainty creates the environment for the Fed to slow the pace of cuts.

The NZD/USD pair trades firmer near 0.5680 during the Asian trading hours on Friday. However, the upside for the pair might be limited ahead of the highly anticipated US Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) data for January, which is due later on Friday. 

China filed a World Trade Organization challenge on Wednesday against US President Donald Trump's new 10% tax on Chinese imports and withdrawal of a duty-free exemption for low-value packages, citing "protectionist" acts that violate WTO regulations. Investors will closely monitor the development surrounding renewed trade war tensions between the US and China, the world's two largest economies. Any signs of escalation could weigh on the China-proxy Kiwi, as China is a major trading partner to New Zealand. 

The New Zealand employment data for the fourth quarter (Q4) will keep the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) on track to cut the Official Cash Rate (OCR) this month. This, in turn, might further weigh on the New Zealand Dollar (NZD). The markets are now pricing in nearly 92% odds that the RBNZ will deliver a 50 basis points (bps) rate cut to 3.75% on February 19. It would be the third consecutive jumbo cut.

The hawkish stance from the Federal Reserve (Fed) officials might provide some support to the Greenback. Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee noted on Thursday that the uncertainty makes the environment for the Fed foggier, a reason to slow the pace of cuts. Meanwhile, Fed Vice Chairman Philip Jefferson said late Tuesday that they were facing uncertainty around Trump's policies, adding that the robust economy would allow them to adopt a cautious approach to further policy-easing.