Aussie the top gainer against US$ in 2003

SYDNEY: The Australian dollar is set to build on last year’s bumper 34% gain on the US dollar in the first half of 2004, looking to breach the 80 US-cent barrier as positive fundamentals remain intact. 

The Aussie ended 2003 as by far the biggest gainer of the year versus the beleaguered greenback, outstripping the euro at 20%, the Canadian dollar at 17%, and the yen, Swiss franc and British pound all at around 11%.