Australian Dollar strengthens further following US PCE figures
- AUD rose against USD due to US inflation reduction and a potential dovish stance from the Fed.
- Soft PCE data from the US may benefit the Aussie policy divergence between the RBA and Fed.
- RBA's delayed rate cuts could bolster the Aussie, contrasting with other G10 central banks' reduction strategies.
Friday's session recorded a significant uplift in the Australian Dollar (AUD) against the US Dollar following an unexpected inflation reduction in the US in May. As a result, expectations of a possibly dovish stance from the Federal Reserve (Fed) grew, leading to a likely divergence in policy with the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA).
The Australian economy demonstrates minor signs of weakness. However, the heightened inflation rates maintain a stubborn resilience, preventing the RBA from implementing potential rate cuts. The RBA is foreseen delaying rate cuts, making it one of the last G10 country central banks to adopt a reduction policy. These delayed cuts might enhance the further strengthening of the Aussie.
Daily digest market movers: Aussie continues to strengthen amid robust CPI figures
- In terms of the data at hand, the Australian Dollar's strength was bolstered by increased expectations of the RBA further hiking rates after hot Consumer Price Index (CPI) data reported earlier in the week.
- Market indications are now pricing in approximately 40% odds of a 25-basis-point rate hike from RBA on September 24, extending to 50% leading up to November 5.
- US inflation fell to 2.6% YoY in May from 2.7% in April, according to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis. This decrease matched market expectations.
- On a monthly basis, the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index remained static. The core PCE Price Index rose by 2.6%, a decrease from the 2.8% escalation that was recorded in April.
- As a result, this downtrend toward the Fed’s 2.0% target bumped the probability of a Fed interest rate cut in September to 66%, up from 64% prior to the PCE release, as per the CME FedWatch Tool.
Technical analysis: AUD/USD maintains buyer interest above 20-day SMA
From a technical outlook, the indicators displayed signs of recovery with the Relative Strength Index (RSI) staying above 50, and the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) printing a fresh green bar. Critical to the future momentum of the pair will be the defense of the 20-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) at 0.6640. As long as buyers manage to sustain above this key level, the future outlook appears promising.
Notably, on Friday, the pair managed to lift back above the 20-day SMA, after dipping to a low of 0.6620, a key indication that buyer defenses remain robust.
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.
Recommended Articles
