- AUD/USD struggled to preserve/capitalize on its early move to a one-week high.
- Rising geopolitical tensions acted as a headwind for the perceived riskier aussie.
- Retreating US bond yields undermined the USD and could help limit the downside.
The AUD/USD pair surrendered its intraday gains to a one-week high and was last seen hovering near the lower end of its daily trading range, around the 0.7120-15 region.
The pair built on this week's strong recovery from the lowest level since November 2020 and gained some follow-through traction during the early part of the trading action on Wednesday. The uptick was supported by a modest US dollar weakness, though lacked follow-through buying and ran out of steam ahead of mid-0.7100s.
Relations between the US and Russia took a turn for the worse after US President Joe Biden threatened to impose economic and other measures on Russia if it invades Ukraine. This, in turn, kept a lid on the recent optimistic move in the financial markets and acted as a headwind for the perceived riskier Australian dollar.
Meanwhile, reviving safe-haven demand led to a fresh leg down in the US Treasury bond yields, which undermined the US dollar and helped limit the downside for the AUD/USD pair. That said, the prospects for a faster policy tightening by the Fed support prospects for the emergence of some USD dip-buying and warrant caution for bulls.
The markets have been pricing in the possibility for an eventual Fed liftoff in May 2022 amid worries about the persistent rise in inflationary pressures. Hence, the focus shifts to the release of the US CPI report on Friday, which will influence the Fed's policy outlook and provide a fresh directional impetus to the AUD/USD pair.
In the meantime, the US bond yields will drive the USD demand and produce some short-term trading opportunities around the AUD/USD pair. Apart from this, traders will further take cues from geopolitical developments and the broader market risk sentiment amid absent relevant market moving economic releases from the US.
Technical levels to watch
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended content
Editors’ Picks
EUR/USD treads water just above 1.0400 post-US data
Another sign of the good health of the US economy came in response to firm flash US Manufacturing and Services PMIs, which in turn reinforced further the already strong performance of the US Dollar, relegating EUR/USD to the 1.0400 neighbourhood on Friday.
GBP/USD remains depressed near 1.2520 on stronger Dollar
Poor results from the UK docket kept the British pound on the back foot on Thursday, hovering around the low-1.2500s in a context of generalized weakness in the risk-linked galaxy vs. another outstanding day in the Greenback.
Gold keeps the bid bias unchanged near $2,700
Persistent safe haven demand continues to prop up the march north in Gold prices so far on Friday, hitting new two-week tops past the key $2,700 mark per troy ounce despite extra strength in the Greenback and mixed US yields.
Geopolitics back on the radar
Rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine caused renewed unease in the markets this week. Putin signed an amendment to Russian nuclear doctrine, which allows Russia to use nuclear weapons for retaliating against strikes carried out with conventional weapons.
Eurozone PMI sounds the alarm about growth once more
The composite PMI dropped from 50 to 48.1, once more stressing growth concerns for the eurozone. Hard data has actually come in better than expected recently – so ahead of the December meeting, the ECB has to figure out whether this is the PMI crying wolf or whether it should take this signal seriously. We think it’s the latter.
Best Forex Brokers with Low Spreads
VERIFIED Low spreads are crucial for reducing trading costs. Explore top Forex brokers offering competitive spreads and high leverage. Compare options for EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, and Gold.