SYDNEY/WELLINGTON, Nov 23 (Reuters) - The Australian and New Zealand dollars were firm against their U.S. counterpart on Friday and held near eight-month peaks on the yen, placing them on track to post handsome gains for the week.

* Aussie pauses at $1.0383 versus $1.0381 in late local trading Thursday. Traders cite demand from domestic importers and option-induced supply at $1.0400, with stops above $1.0425.

* Downside buyers sighted around $1.0345/50. Chart support seen at $1.0315, a 200-DMA and a lower Bollinger band, and resistance at $1.0400.

* Kiwi steady at $0.8156 with technical support seen around $0.8135, the 50 percent retracement of a sharp rally in September, which has provided a floor for the past two months.

* Resistance builds around $0.8200, as kiwi has been unable to make a clean break above that level over the last two weeks.

* Antipodean currencies set to post a 0.4 pct increase for the week.

* Aussie and kiwi keep solid gains against the yen, which has fallen sharply across the board on expectations of more aggressive monetary stimulus from the Bank of Japan.

* Aussie at 85.40 yen, within a whisker of 85.94, its highest since early April, showing a 1.6 pct gain for the week. It is on tract to test this year's peak of 88.62 set in March.

* Likewise, the kiwi at 67.12 yen, near an eight-month peak of 67.51 and on track to post a near 2-pct gain this week.

* More bold policy stimulus from the BOJ would make the already low-yielding yen even more attractive as a funding currency for carry trades.

* Euro firm against the Antipodeans on hopes international lenders will soon agree an aid deal for Greece.

* Slow trading day with Wall Street shut on Thursday for Thanksgiving and Japan closed on Friday for the Labour Thanksgiving holiday. Investors await German sentiment, growth data due later in the session.

* Australian government bond futures extend their pullback from a one-month peak hit on Monday. The three-year contract dips 0.03 points to 97.290 and the 10-year contract off 0.035 points at 96.795.

* Longer-dated NZ government bonds mostly flat.

Keywords: MARKETS AUSTRALIA NEWZEALAND/FOREX

(Australia/New Zealand bureaux)(+61 2 9373 1800/+64 4 802 7980)

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