Australian Dollar holds ground due to risk-on market sentiment, China’s measures
- The Australian Dollar receives support from improved market sentiment and strong commodity prices.
- The AUD gained ground from robust trade data from China and Beijing's initiatives to stabilize the Yuan.
- The US Dollar depreciated following the disappointing December US Producer Price Index data.
The Australian Dollar (AUD) holds steady on Wednesday after two consecutive days of gains against the US Dollar (USD). The AUD/USD pair benefited from risk-on market sentiment, supported by strong trade data from China, Beijing’s efforts to stabilize the Yuan, and rising commodity prices. Traders are awaiting Australian employment data, scheduled for release later this week, for further insights into the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) policy direction.
Investor confidence grew as US President-elect Donald Trump's economic team considered a gradual increase in import tariffs. This optimism bolstered risk-sensitive currencies like the AUD and contributed to the appreciation of the AUD/JPY pair.
Traders assessed data revealing a second consecutive monthly decline in consumer confidence, likely driven by the Australian Dollar's depreciation against the US Dollar. In January 2025, Australia’s Westpac Consumer Confidence Index dropped by 0.7% to 92.1 points, reflecting ongoing consumer pessimism.
The decline in consumer confidence sparked concerns about the outlook for interest rates and Australia’s broader economic health. Markets are now pricing in a 67% likelihood that the Reserve Bank of Australia will lower its 4.35% cash rate by 25 basis points in February, with a full rate cut expected by April.
Australian Dollar gains ground as US Dollar depreciates following PPI data
- The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the US Dollar’s performance against six major currencies, trades near 109.20. The Greenback faced challenges following the disappointing US December Producer Price Index (PPI) data. Market participants will keep an eye on the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation data, which is due later on Wednesday.
- US Producer Price Index for final demand rose 0.2% MoM in December after an unrevised 0.4% advance in November, softer than the 0.3% expected. The PPI climbed 3.3% YoY in December, the most since February 2023, after increasing 3.0% in November. This reading came in below the consensus of 3.4%.
- US Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) increased by 256K in December, significantly exceeding market expectations of 160K and surpassing the revised November figure of 212K (previously reported as 227K).
- Federal Reserve Board of Governors member Michelle Bowman added her voice to a chorus of Fed speakers last week as policymakers work double-duty to try and smooth over market reactions to a much tighter pace of rate cuts in 2025 than many market participants had previously anticipated.
- Kansas Fed President Jeffrey Schmid made headlines on Thursday, stating that most of the Federal Reserve's mandated targets have recently been achieved. Schmid emphasized the need to reduce the Fed's balance sheet, suggesting that interest rate policy is approaching its long-term equilibrium. He noted that any future rate cuts should be gradual and guided by economic data.
- On Monday, the China Foreign Exchange Committee (CFXC) pledged to support the Chinese Yuan during a meeting in Beijing on Monday, held under the guidance of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC). Separately, the PBOC and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), China’s FX regulator, announced an increase in the macro-prudential adjustment parameter for cross-border financing from 1.5 to 1.75, effective January 13, 2025.
- People's Bank of China (PBOC) Governor Pan Gongsheng stated on Monday that "interest rate and reserve requirement ratio (RRR) tools will be utilized to maintain ample liquidity." Gongsheng reaffirmed China's plans to increase the fiscal deficit and emphasized that China will continue to be a driving force for the global economy.
Australian Dollar remains below 0.6200, descending channel’s upper boundary
The AUD/USD pair trades around 0.6190 on Wednesday, maintaining its bearish outlook as it remains within a descending channel on the daily chart. The 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) remains above the 30 level, indicating a recovery from oversold conditions.
The AUD/USD pair faces immediate resistance at the nine-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at 0.6193, followed by the 14-day EMA at 0.6207. A more significant resistance level lies near the upper boundary of the descending channel, around 0.6220.
Regarding its support, the AUD/USD pair may test the lower boundary of the descending channel, close to the 0.5940 level.
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 strongest against the British Pound.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 0.02% | 0.07% | -0.05% | -0.02% | 0.06% | -0.04% | -0.03% | |
| EUR | -0.02% | 0.05% | -0.07% | -0.05% | 0.04% | -0.06% | -0.05% | |
| GBP | -0.07% | -0.05% | -0.13% | -0.08% | -0.00% | -0.12% | -0.08% | |
| JPY | 0.05% | 0.07% | 0.13% | 0.03% | 0.11% | -0.01% | 0.03% | |
| CAD | 0.02% | 0.05% | 0.08% | -0.03% | 0.08% | -0.02% | 0.00% | |
| AUD | -0.06% | -0.04% | 0.00% | -0.11% | -0.08% | -0.10% | -0.08% | |
| NZD | 0.04% | 0.06% | 0.12% | 0.00% | 0.02% | 0.10% | 0.02% | |
| CHF | 0.03% | 0.05% | 0.08% | -0.03% | -0.00% | 0.08% | -0.02% |
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).
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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