China's Finance Ministry says will step up the pace of fiscal spending
China's finance ministry stated early Wednesday that the government will increase the intensity of fiscal spending and will adopt more proactive, sustainable, robust, and effective fiscal policies in 2025.
Key quotes
Increasing negative impacts from changes in the external environment present numerous difficulties and challenges to China's economy.
This will increase pressure for China to maintain a balanced budget in 2025.
China's sustained economic recovery and growth will support an increase in fiscal revenue, but many constraints will remain.
Insufficient domestic demand and price levels will continue to weigh down government revenues, which are calculated based on current prices.
Some major tax-contributing industries are experiencing a slowdown in growth, while some firms face difficulties in production and operations.
China is also confronted with considerable uncertainty in foreign trade.
China will continue to leverage fiscal policy to implement counter-cyclical adjustments.
China will increase the intensity of fiscal spending.
China will implement a more proactive fiscal policy and improve the fiscal spending structure.
China will adopt more proactive, sustainable, robust, and effective fiscal policies in 2025.
China will accelerate the pace of fiscal spending.
Market reaction
At the time of writing, AUD/USD is holding higher ground near 0.6255, adding 0.09% on the day.
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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