- AUD/USD gains sharply to near 0.6350 as the Australian Dollar outperforms its peers.
- China’s fresh monetary stimulus announcement has boosted Aussie Dollar’s appeal.
- Investors await the Fed’s monetary policy outcome and the Australian Employment data for February.
The AUD/USD pair surges to near 0.6350 in North American trading hours on Monday, the highest level seen in over a week. The Aussie pair strengthens as China’s fresh monetary stimulus plan has increased the Australian Dollar’s (AUD) appeal. An improvement in China’s economic outlook also boosts the AUD’s appeal, given the high dependency of Australian exports on China.
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 Japanese Yen.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | -0.21% | -0.28% | 0.13% | -0.43% | -0.40% | -0.87% | -0.23% | |
| EUR | 0.21% | -0.19% | -0.05% | -0.21% | -0.31% | -0.67% | -0.04% | |
| GBP | 0.28% | 0.19% | 0.46% | -0.24% | -0.14% | -0.50% | 0.07% | |
| JPY | -0.13% | 0.05% | -0.46% | -0.55% | -0.74% | -0.94% | -0.48% | |
| CAD | 0.43% | 0.21% | 0.24% | 0.55% | -0.18% | -0.44% | -0.36% | |
| AUD | 0.40% | 0.31% | 0.14% | 0.74% | 0.18% | -0.33% | 0.29% | |
| NZD | 0.87% | 0.67% | 0.50% | 0.94% | 0.44% | 0.33% | 0.63% | |
| CHF | 0.23% | 0.04% | -0.07% | 0.48% | 0.36% | -0.29% | -0.63% |
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).
Over the weekend, the Chinese ministry announced a comprehensive “special action plan” to boost consumption and economic growth. The ministry reported that the plan focuses on increasing residents’ incomes, reducing financial burdens, and enhancing the consumption environment, Reuters report.
Meanwhile, upbeat China’s Retail Sales and Industrial Production data for February has also supported the Aussie Dollar.
On the domestic front, the Australian Dollar will be guided by the labor market data for February, which will be released on Thursday. The employment data will influence market speculation for the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) monetary policy outlook.
The US Dollar (USD) remains on the backfoot as investors expect a United States (US) economic slowdown under the leadership of President Donald Trump. His economic policies are expected to dampen economic activity and boost inflation.
This week, investors will pay close attention to the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) monetary policy decision, which will be announced on Wednesday. The Fed is expected to keep interest rates steady in the range of 4.25%-4.50%.
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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