NZD/USD extends losses to three-month lows near 0.5870, US PPI awaited

• NZD/USD loses ground due to "Trump trades" and less dovish comments from Fed officials.
• Fed's Alberto Musalem stated that persistent inflationary pressures force the Fed to halt its rate-cutting strategy.
• RBNZ expects to deliver a bumper 75 basis point rate cut in November as the inflation rate eases.

NZD/USD extends its decline for the third consecutive day, trading near 0.5870, marking a three-month low during Thursday's Asian session. The pair's downward movement is largely due to the strengthening US Dollar (USD), fueled by "Trump trades" and less dovish remarks from Federal Reserve (Fed) officials following US inflation data. 

The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the value of the US Dollar against its six major peers, holds steady around 106.60, its highest level since November 2023, supported by rising US Treasury yields. At the time of writing, the 2-year and 10-year US Treasury yields are at 4.31% and 4.47%, respectively.

On Wednesday, St. Louis Fed President Alberto Musalem remarked that ongoing inflationary pressures make it challenging for the Fed to maintain a course of rate cuts. Musalem shifted focus to the robustness of the US labor market, aiming to ease concerns about inflation's resistance to the Fed's efforts to reduce it. Meanwhile, Kansas City Fed President Jeffrey Schmid emphasized the potential hurdles in the path toward lowering interest rates.

The US Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 2.6% year-over-year in October, matching market expectations, following a 2.4% increase in the previous month. Meanwhile, the core CPI, which excludes the more volatile food and energy sectors, climbed by 3.3%, in line with forecasts.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) is anticipated to announce a more substantial 75 basis point rate cut later this month as the inflation rate eases to its lowest level since Q1 2021 in the third quarter. A 50 basis point cut has already been fully priced in by markets.

However, the Food Price Index in New Zealand remained steady at 1.2% year-over-year in October, marking the highest level since February. On a monthly basis, food prices dropped by 0.9% in October, following a 0.5% increase the previous month.

Traders are now focusing on the upcoming US October Producer Price Index (PPI) data, scheduled for release on Thursday. Market participants are also looking ahead to the release of Industrial Production and Retail Sales data for October from China, New Zealand's largest trading partner, which is due on Friday.