The Australian currency was higher at Friday noon after touching a four-month high as it continued to ride a bullish sentiment coming from positive economic data.

At 1200 AEST, the local unit was trading at 92.27 US cents, up from Thursday's finish of 92.15 US cents.

ICAP economist Adam Carr said the unit had maintained its overnight gains since US employment data encouraged a bout of risk appetite.

"It's solid above $US0.9200," he said.

"But from the open this morning it hasn't done a lot.

"The main thing to note is that we have held above $US0.9200."

In the US overnight, the Department of Labor announced the number of Americans signing up for unemployment benefits fell to the lowest level in two months. The positive data sent Wal Street and risk appetite in general higher.

The encouraging US jobs data came a day after the Australian Bureau of Statistics said the domestic jobless rate was a seasonally adjusted 5.1 per cent in August, down from 5.3 per cent in July.

Widening yield premiums and data showing a big rise in Chinese imports also supported the Aussie.

Australian yields continued to climb in the wake of Thursday's very strong jobs figures, which forced the market to sharply revise up the risk of further rate hikes.

Interbank futures now show a 60 per cent chance of a hike to 4.75 per cent by Christmas. A couple of weeks ago, that was pricing in a chance of a rate cut.

Meanwhile, imports in China, Australia's biggest trade partner and a major buyer of its commodities, jumped 35 per cent in August, compared to a year earlier.

China's trade surplus in August totalled $US20.03 billion ($21.71 billion), customs authorities said today.

Mr Carr said he expected little movement from the Australian dollar for the rest of the session, with no domestic data due.