NZD/USD Exchange rate

Editors’ Picks

AUD/USD slides to two-week low, below 0.6600 as traders await US CPI

The AUD/USD drops to a two-week low during the Asian session on Thursday amid a weaker risk tone, which benefits the safe-haven US Dollar and weighs on the Aussie for the sixth consecutive day. Apart from this, China's economic woes further undermine the Australian Dollar, though the RBA's hawkish stance could limit losses. Furthermore, bets for more rate cuts by the Fed might cap the USD and lend support to the currency pair ahead of the US inflation figures later today.

USD/JPY climbs above 155.50 as traders await US CPI release

The USD/JPY pair rises to around 155.60 during the early Asian session on Thursday. The US Dollar edges higher against the Japanese Yen on the cautious comments from Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller. Traders will keep an eye on the US Consumer Price Index inflation data for November, which will be released later on Thursday.

Gold flirts with weekly range hurdle; looks to US CPI for fresh impetus

Gold is seen consolidating near the top end of the weekly range, below the $4,350 level, during the Asian session on Thursday. The US Dollar preserves the overnight recovery gains and caps the bullion, though a weaker risk tone and dovish Fed bets act as a tailwind for the non-yielding yellow metal. Traders now look to the US consumer inflation figures for cues about the Fed's rate-cut path in 2026 before placing fresh directional bets around the XAU/USD pair.

Bitcoin risks deeper correction as ETF outflows mount, derivative traders stay on the sidelines

Bitcoin (BTC) remains under pressure, trading below $87,000 on Wednesday, nearing a key support level. A decisive daily close below this zone could open the door to a deeper correction.

Monetary policy: Three central banks, three decisions, the same caution

While the Fed eased its monetary policy on 10 December for the third consecutive FOMC meeting, without making any guarantees about future action, the BoE, the ECB and the BoJ are holding their respective meetings this week.

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ABOUT NZD/USD

The NZD/USD pair indicates how many US Dollars (USD) are required to purchase one New Zealand Dollar (NZD). Often seen as a minor currency, its relevance stems from New Zealand’s strong commercial ties with its neighbor, Australia, and China. The New Zealand Dollar is commonly referred to as the Kiwi, named after the bird that symbolizes New Zealand.

The New Zealand Dollar, along with the Australian Dollar (AUD) and the Canadian Dollar (CAD), is considered a commodity currency, meaning its value is closely tied to the export of raw materials such as precious metals, Oil, and agricultural products .

For many years, the NZD (like the Australian Dollar) has been one of the preferred choices for carry traders, making it very sensitive to changes in interest rates.

HISTORIC HIGHS AND LOWS FOR NZD/USD

All-time records: Max: 1.49 on 5/11/1973 – Min: 0.3962 on 16/10/2000
Last 5 years: Max: 0.7465 on 19/02/2021 – Min: 0.5469 on 13/03/2020

* Data as of December 2024

ASSETS THAT INFLUENCE NZD/USD THE MOST

Currencies: The Australian Dollar (AUD), the Chinese Yuan (CNY), and the Japanese Yen (JPY), as Australia, China, and Japan are the main economic regional partners of New Zealand. This group also includes the following currency pairs: EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY, AUD/USD, USD/CHF, USD/CAD, GBP/JPY and EUR/JPY.
Commodities: First and foremost, coal. New Zealand has extensive coal resources, contributing approximately 10% to the country’s energy supply (excluding transport fuels). Other key commodities are Silver and Iron Ore.
Bonds: GNZGB10 (New Zealand 10-Year Government Bond Yield), AGB (debt securities issued by the Australian Government), and T-NOTE 10Y (10-year United States Treasury note).
Indices: NZX (New Zealand Exchange), ASX (Australian Securities Exchange), and Nikkei 225 (a stock market index for the Tokyo Stock Exchange).

INFLUENTIAL ORGANIZATIONS, PEOPLE AND ECONOMIC DATA FOR NZD/USD

The organizations and people that affect the most the moves of the NZD/USD pair are:

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ). It is New Zealand's central bank. Its primary role is to “give people, communities and businesses the confidence to spend, borrow and save money” by maintaining a sound and efficient monetary and financial system. The RBNZ achieves this by managing inflation to keep prices stable, regulating banks and finance companies, producing New Zealand’s banknotes and coins and operating effective wholesale payment and settlement systems. The current governor is Anna Breman.
The New Zealand Government – whose Prime Minister is Christopher Luxon – and its Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE), which implements policies that affect the economy of the country.
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), a forum for 21 Pacific Rim member economies that promotes free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
The US Government and its President Donald Trump. Administration statements, new laws and regulations, or fiscal policy decisions can influence the value of the US Dollar and its trading pairs, including the New Zealand Dollar.
The Federal Reserve of the United States (Fed), whose chairman is Jerome Powell . It is the central bank of the US and it has two main targets: to maintain the unemployment rate at its lowest possible levels and to keep inflation around 2%. The Federal Reserve System's structure is composed of the presidentially appointed Board of Governors and the partially appointed Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). The FOMC organizes eight scheduled meetings in a year to review economic and financial conditions. It also determines the appropriate stance of monetary policy and assesses the risks to its long-run goals of price stability and sustainable economic growth.

Economic data to watch for NZD/USD traders:

GDP (Gross Domestic Product): The total market value of all final goods and services produced in a country. It serves as a gross measure of economic activity, indicating whether a country's economy is expanding or contracting. A high or a better - than-expected reading is generally positive for the NZD, while a low reading tends to be negative.
Inflation indicators: Key measures such as the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the Producer Price Index (PPI) reflect changes in prices.