- Australian Dollar continues to lose ground as the US Dollar surges on risk aversion.
- RBA is expected to increase interest rates; which could limit the losses of the AUD.
- US Dollar received upward support from improved US Treasury yields.
- Israel PM Netanyahu announced the readiness for a ground assault in Gaza.
The Australian Dollar (AUD) extends losses for the second session, trading around yearly lows against the US Dollar (USD) on Thursday. The AUD/USD pair faces a challenge on the upbeat Greenback, which could be attributed to the improved US Treasury yields.
Australia’s inflation data introduced the prospect of a 25 basis points rate hike by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) during its November meeting. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) unveiled on Wednesday that the Consumer Price Index (CPI) experienced an upswing in the third quarter of 2023.
RBA Governor Michele Bullock shared on Thursday that the CPI had a slight uptick, a tad beyond predictions, yet comfortably in the anticipated range. Bullock emphasized the central bank’s balancing act—aiming to ease the economy’s pace without stumbling into the recession’s embrace.
The US Dollar Index (DXY) continues the winning streak on the back of the upbeat US Treasury yields, coupled with the more robust preliminary S&P Global PMI figures from the United States released on Tuesday.
Moreover, geopolitical uncertainties are poised to sustain the influx of safe-haven investments. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the readiness for a ground assault in Gaza, with the timing of the invasion to be determined through consensus. Moreover, Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdallahian has reachd the USA for talks on the situation between Hamas and Israel, according to Iranian media.
Daily Digest Market Movers: Australian Dollar loses ground despite the possibility of another rate hike by the RBA
- Australia’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) reached 1.2% in the third quarter of 2023, surpassing the 0.8% uptick in the previous quarter and the market consensus of 1.1% in the same period.
- Australia’s S&P Global Composite PMI in October slipped to 47.3 from the prior reading of 51.5. The Manufacturing PMI experienced a slight easing to 48.0 compared to the previous figure of 48.7, and the Services PMI regressed into contraction territory, dropping to 47.6 from the previous month’s reading of 51.8.
- Australia’s RBA expressed heightened concern about the inflation impact stemming from supply shocks. Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, Michele Bullock stated that if inflation persists above projections, the RBA will take responsive policy measures. There is an observable deceleration in demand, and per capita consumption is on the decline.
- China is gearing up to host a pivotal financial policy meeting early next week, occurring once every five years. The overarching goals of this gathering include the proactive tackling and mitigation of risks and the formulation of medium-term priorities for the extensive $61 trillion financial industry.
- US Treasury Department officially confirmed on Tuesday that the first meeting of the economic working group between the United States and China took place. This working group serves as a platform for discussing bilateral economic policy matters.
- US S&P Global Composite PMI reported an increase in October, reaching 51.0 from 50.2. The Services PMI experienced growth, reaching 50.9, while the Manufacturing PMI rose to 50.0.
- Investors will likely focus on the US Q3 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on Thursday. The US Core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) and Australia’s Producer Price Index (PPI) will be eyed on Friday.
Technical Analysis: Australian Dollar hovers below the major resistance at 0.6300 on an upbeat US Dollar
The Australian Dollar trades around 0.6280 on Thursday near a yearly low, followed by the key support around the 0.6250 major level. On the upside, the 0.6300 major level emerges as the immediate resistance. A breakthrough above this resistance can reach around the 21-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at 0.6352 following the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement level at 0.6421.
AUD/USD: Daily Chart
Australian Dollar price today
The table below shows the percentage change of Australian Dollar (AUD) against listed major currencies today. Australian Dollar was the weakest against the US Dollar.
USD | EUR | GBP | CAD | AUD | JPY | NZD | CHF | |
USD | 0.22% | 0.20% | 0.09% | 0.13% | 0.33% | 0.04% | 0.19% | |
EUR | -0.24% | -0.02% | -0.14% | -0.10% | 0.10% | -0.18% | -0.01% | |
GBP | -0.20% | 0.03% | -0.10% | -0.07% | 0.14% | -0.15% | 0.01% | |
CAD | -0.09% | 0.15% | 0.10% | 0.05% | 0.24% | -0.05% | 0.12% | |
AUD | -0.13% | 0.10% | 0.09% | -0.04% | 0.20% | -0.04% | 0.09% | |
JPY | -0.33% | -0.08% | -0.13% | -0.23% | -0.21% | -0.28% | -0.12% | |
NZD | -0.05% | 0.17% | 0.14% | 0.04% | 0.15% | 0.29% | 0.16% | |
CHF | -0.21% | 0.01% | 0.01% | -0.12% | -0.08% | 0.13% | -0.17% |
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 Euro from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent EUR (base)/JPY (quote).
Risk sentiment FAQs
In the world of financial jargon the two widely used terms “risk-on” and “risk off” refer to the level of risk that investors are willing to stomach during the period referenced. In a “risk-on” market, investors are optimistic about the future and more willing to buy risky assets. In a “risk-off” market investors start to ‘play it safe’ because they are worried about the future, and therefore buy less risky assets that are more certain of bringing a return, even if it is relatively modest.
Typically, during periods of “risk-on”, stock markets will rise, most commodities – except Gold – will also gain in value, since they benefit from a positive growth outlook. The currencies of nations that are heavy commodity exporters strengthen because of increased demand, and Cryptocurrencies rise. In a “risk-off” market, Bonds go up – especially major government Bonds – Gold shines, and safe-haven currencies such as the Japanese Yen, Swiss Franc and US Dollar all benefit.
The Australian Dollar (AUD), the Canadian Dollar (CAD), the New Zealand Dollar (NZD) and minor FX like the Ruble (RUB) and the South African Rand (ZAR), all tend to rise in markets that are “risk-on”. This is because the economies of these currencies are heavily reliant on commodity exports for growth, and commodities tend to rise in price during risk-on periods. This is because investors foresee greater demand for raw materials in the future due to heightened economic activity.
The major currencies that tend to rise during periods of “risk-off” are the US Dollar (USD), the Japanese Yen (JPY) and the Swiss Franc (CHF). The US Dollar, because it is the world’s reserve currency, and because in times of crisis investors buy US government debt, which is seen as safe because the largest economy in the world is unlikely to default. The Yen, from increased demand for Japanese government bonds, because a high proportion are held by domestic investors who are unlikely to dump them – even in a crisis. The Swiss Franc, because strict Swiss banking laws offer investors enhanced capital protection.
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