Australian Dollar declines as US Dollar holds gains, Retail Sales eyed
|- The Australian Dollar remains weaker due to due to China's concerns.
- Standard Chartered expects PBoC to implement rate and RRR cuts as China's GDP growth decelerated in Q2.
- CME Group’s FedWatch Tool indicates an 85.7% probability of a 25-basis point cut in September, up from 71.0% a week earlier.
The Australian Dollar (AUD) continues to decline for the second consecutive session on Tuesday. The AUD/USD pair lost ground due to a modest rebound in the US Dollar (USD), which could be attributed to increased risk aversion following the attempted assassination of former US President Donald Trump on Saturday. Investors will likely observe the US Retail Sales data for June, which are set to be released later today, for further insights.
The third plenum of the Chinese Communist Party's 20th National Congress continues today, being held from July 15 to 18. Standard Chartered expects cuts from the People's Bank of China, both in rates and the reserve requirement ratio (RRR), as GDP growth decelerated in Q2. China’s growth drivers remain uneven, and trade tensions are rising, with the US and EU imposing new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs).
The AUD/USD pair remains close to its strongest levels as speculation grows that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) might delay joining the global rate-cutting cycle or even raise interest rates again. Persistently high inflation in Australia prompts the RBA to maintain a hawkish stance. In contrast, cooling US inflation strengthened bets for a Federal Reserve rate cut in September.
The US Dollar (USD) may limit its upside due to increasing speculation that the US Fed will lower borrowing costs. According to CME Group’s FedWatch Tool, markets now indicate an 85.7% probability of a 25-basis point rate cut at the September Fed meeting, up from 71.0% a week earlier.
Daily Digest Market Movers: Australian Dollar declines due to risk-off mood
- Fed Chair Jerome Powell mentioned on Monday that the three US inflation readings of this year "add somewhat to confidence" that inflation is on course to meet the Fed’s target in a sustainable manner, suggesting that a shift to interest rate cuts may not be far off.
- Fed Bank of San Francisco President Mary Daly stated that inflation is cooling down in a way that bolsters confidence that it’s on its way to 2%. However, Daly added that more information is needed before making a rate decision.
- In China, a close trade partner of Australia, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew 4.7% year-over-year in the second quarter, compared to a 5.3% expansion in the first quarter and an expected 5.1%.
- The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) reported that China's economy operated generally steadily in the first half of the year, with H1 GDP growth at +5.0% year-on-year. Looking ahead, the NBS highlighted increasing external uncertainties and numerous domestic challenges that China's economy faces in the second half of the year.
- US President Joe Biden on Monday addressed the nation from the White House, where he condemned all political violence and called for unity, per CNBC. Biden further stated that “it’s time to cool it down” and noted not just the weekend attack on Trump but also the possibility of election-year violence on multiple fronts.
- China's Retail Sales (YoY) increased by 2.0% in June, falling short of the expected 3.3% and below May's 3.7%. Meanwhile, the country's Industrial Production for the same period showed a growth rate of 5.3% year-over-year, surpassing estimates of 5.0%, albeit slightly lower than May's 5.6%.
- On Thursday, the data showed that the US Core Consumer Price Index (CPI), which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose by 3.3% year-over-year in June, compared to May's increase of 3.4% and the same expectation. Meanwhile, the core CPI increased by 0.1% month-over-month, against the expected and prior reading of 0.2%.
Technical Analysis: Australian Dollar hovers around 0.6750
The Australian Dollar trades around 0.6750 on Tuesday. The analysis of the daily chart shows that the AUD/USD pair consolidates within an ascending channel, indicating a bullish bias. However, the 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) declines toward the 50 level, suggesting a correction. A further decline could weaken the bullish trend.
The AUD/USD pair may test the psychological level of 0.6800. A breakthrough above this level could support the pair to approach the upper boundary of the ascending channel near 0.6810.
On the downside, immediate support appears around the nine-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at 0.6743. Further support is seen near the lower boundary of the ascending channel at 0.6695. A break below this level could push the AUD/USD pair toward the throwback support at 0.6590.
AUD/USD: Daily Chart
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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