The New Zealand dollar edged up to around $0.593 on Wednesday, having fallen 0.3% overnight as the US dollar firmed ahead of key US inflation reports. Traders are awaiting the release of US PPI and CPI data this week, which could offer more clues on the Federal Reserve's interest rate path. Meanwhile, in China—New Zealand’s largest trading partner—data released today showed consumer prices fell in August, while producer deflation eased, indicating ongoing deflationary pressures in an economy at risk of a slowdown. However, the figures failed to generate much reaction in the kiwi. At home, recent data showed an unexpectedly sharp drop in sales across multiple industries in the second quarter, signaling downside risks for New Zealand’s growth outlook. This added to expectations of further rate cuts from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.