The Australian Dollar (AUD) stayed weak against the US Dollar (USD) on Tuesday, as the AUD/USD pair struggled following a surge in US Treasury yields, which rose over 2% on Monday. This increase was driven by signs of economic strength and concerns about a potential resurgence of inflation in the United States (US).
The downside risk of the Aussie Dollar could be restrained due to rising hawkish sentiment surrounding the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) regarding its policy outlook, bolstered by positive employment data from Australia. Additionally, the AUD found support from China's recent rate cuts, given that China remains Australia’s largest trading partner.
The US Dollar gained strength as recent economic data dispelled the likelihood of a bumper rate cut by the Federal Reserve (Fed) in November. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, the likelihood of a 25-basis-point rate cut in November is 89.1%, with no expectation of a larger 50-basis-point cut.
Traders await the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) reports from both the US and Australia, set to be released on Thursday. These reports could provide insight into the health of each economy and influence future monetary policy decisions.
The AUD/USD pair trades around 0.6660 on Tuesday. Technical analysis of the daily chart shows the pair below the nine-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA), indicating a short-term bearish outlook. Furthermore, the 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) remains below 50, reinforcing the bearish sentiment.
On the downside, the pair could test its eight-week low of 0.6622, last reached on September 11, followed by the psychological level of 0.6600.
Resistance may come from the nine-day EMA at 0.6700, followed by the 50-day EMA at 0.6734. A break above this level could open the door for a move toward the psychological resistance of 0.6800.
The table below shows the percentage change of Australian Dollar (AUD) against listed major currencies today. Australian Dollar was the weakest against the Japanese Yen.
USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
USD | -0.03% | -0.01% | -0.17% | 0.01% | -0.00% | -0.02% | -0.16% | |
EUR | 0.03% | 0.02% | -0.13% | 0.03% | -0.00% | 0.02% | -0.13% | |
GBP | 0.01% | -0.02% | -0.16% | 0.03% | 0.00% | -0.00% | -0.14% | |
JPY | 0.17% | 0.13% | 0.16% | 0.19% | 0.16% | 0.14% | 0.00% | |
CAD | -0.01% | -0.03% | -0.03% | -0.19% | -0.02% | -0.03% | -0.18% | |
AUD | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | -0.16% | 0.02% | -0.01% | -0.16% | |
NZD | 0.02% | -0.02% | 0.00% | -0.14% | 0.03% | 0.00% | -0.14% | |
CHF | 0.16% | 0.13% | 0.14% | 0.00% | 0.18% | 0.16% | 0.14% |
The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the Australian Dollar from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the US Dollar, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent AUD (base)/USD (quote).
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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