Market news
23.07.2024, 18:22

Australian Dollar extends losses due to sluggish Chinese economic activity

  • AUD/USD registered significant declines on Tuesday towards 0.6615.
  • Slowdown in Chinese economic activity is contributing to the decline in commodity prices.
  • Stubbornly high inflation continues to prompt the RBA to delay rate cuts.

In Tuesday's trading session, the Australian Dollar (AUD) suffered further losses against the USD, with AUD/USD falling to 0.6615. This decline is largely attributed to sluggish Chinese economic activity which has resulted in a drop in commodity prices, illustrated by plunges in iron ore future prices to their lowest since early April.

Despite signs of weakness in the Australian economy, the RBA continues to resist rate cuts due to stubbornly high inflation. This could potentially limit any further decline in the AUD. The RBA maintains its position as one of the last central banks within the G10 countries likely to start cutting rates, a stance that might extend the AUD's gains.

Daily digest market movers: Aussie down due to economic concerns in China, markets await new clues on RBA’s stance

  • Chinese economic concerns are weighing heavily on the Australian currency as China remains one of Australia's closest trading partners, and the drop in commodity prices is impacting the AUD.
  • The CSI 300 stock index in China dropped dramatically by over 2% overnight, and the absence of specific measures in the recent third plenary session of China's central committee to address the country's structural economic disadvantages further added to these concerns.
  • Additionally, the unexpected rate cut by the People's Bank of China (PBoC) earlier this week triggered worries about the health of the Chinese economy.
  • However, the hawkish stance of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) could limit the downside for the Aussie.
  • The market now predicts around 50% likelihood of the RBA implementing a rate hike either in September or November. Australian Judo PMIs will be closely observed during the Asian trading session.

AUD/USD technical analysis: AUD/USD confirms correction following July's sharp gains.

While the AUD/USD pair has entered a correction phase after the sharp gains of early July, the main concern is that they have now fallen below the 20-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) but as long as the pair stays above the 100 and 200-day SMA, any downward adjustments could be considered 'corrective'. If it falls below these lines, that could be a sell signal. The range to watch for AUD/USD is 0.6630-0.6600, as buyers must maintain their orbit around this area to avoid further losses.

Australian Dollar FAQs

One of the most significant factors for the Australian Dollar (AUD) is the level of interest rates set by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). Because Australia is a resource-rich country another key driver is the price of its biggest export, Iron Ore. The health of the Chinese economy, its largest trading partner, is a factor, as well as inflation in Australia, its growth rate and Trade Balance. Market sentiment – whether investors are taking on more risky assets (risk-on) or seeking safe-havens (risk-off) – is also a factor, with risk-on positive for AUD.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) influences the Australian Dollar (AUD) by setting the level of interest rates that Australian banks can lend to each other. This influences the level of interest rates in the economy as a whole. The main goal of the RBA is to maintain a stable inflation rate of 2-3% by adjusting interest rates up or down. Relatively high interest rates compared to other major central banks support the AUD, and the opposite for relatively low. The RBA can also use quantitative easing and tightening to influence credit conditions, with the former AUD-negative and the latter AUD-positive.

China is Australia’s largest trading partner so the health of the Chinese economy is a major influence on the value of the Australian Dollar (AUD). When the Chinese economy is doing well it purchases more raw materials, goods and services from Australia, lifting demand for the AUD, and pushing up its value. The opposite is the case when the Chinese economy is not growing as fast as expected. Positive or negative surprises in Chinese growth data, therefore, often have a direct impact on the Australian Dollar and its pairs.

Iron Ore is Australia’s largest export, accounting for $118 billion a year according to data from 2021, with China as its primary destination. The price of Iron Ore, therefore, can be a driver of the Australian Dollar. Generally, if the price of Iron Ore rises, AUD also goes up, as aggregate demand for the currency increases. The opposite is the case if the price of Iron Ore falls. Higher Iron Ore prices also tend to result in a greater likelihood of a positive Trade Balance for Australia, which is also positive of the AUD.

The Trade Balance, which is the difference between what a country earns from its exports versus what it pays for its imports, is another factor that can influence the value of the Australian Dollar. If Australia produces highly sought after exports, then its currency will gain in value purely from the surplus demand created from foreign buyers seeking to purchase its exports versus what it spends to purchase imports. Therefore, a positive net Trade Balance strengthens the AUD, with the opposite effect if the Trade Balance is negative.

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