AUD/USD holds steady above 0.6500 on softer USD, ahead of US Jobless Claims, FedSpeak


  • AUD/USD regains positive traction following the overnight pullback from a one-week top. 
  • A softer USD and a positive risk tone benefit the Aussie amid the RBA’s hawkish stance.
  • Traders look to the US macro data and the Fed speaks for some meaningful opportunities. 

The AUD/USD pair attracts some dip-buyers on Thursday and sticks to its modest intraday gains, around the 0.6520 area during the first half of the European session. The uptick is sponsored by a softer tone surrounding the US Dollar (USD), though lacks bullish conviction and warrants some caution before positioning for an extension of the recent bounce from a three-month low touched last week. 

The USD bulls opt to move to the sidelines and look for more clarity on US President-elect Donald Trump's proposed policies before placing fresh. Moreover, the initial reaction to Russian President Vladimir Putin's approval to lower the threshold for nuclear strikes on Tuesday turned out to be short-lived after comments from Russian and US officials eased concerns about a nuclear war. This, in turn, remains supportive of the upbeat market mood, which further seems to undermine the safe-haven buck and benefits the risk-sensitive Aussie. 

Furthermore, the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) hawkish stance offers additional support to the Australian Dollar (AUD). In fact, the minutes of the November RBA meeting released earlier this week indicated that the board members remained vigilant to upside inflation risks and stressed the importance of maintaining a restrictive monetary policy. Meanwhile, expectations for a less dovish Federal Reserve (Fed) should continue to act as a tailwind for the USD and hold back traders from placing aggressive bullish bets around the AUD/USD pair. 

In fact, the markets are now pricing in just over a 50% chance that the US central bank will lower borrowing costs by 25 basis points in December amid expectations that Trump's taunted tariffs and tax cuts could reignite inflation. The outlook remains supportive of elevated US Treasury bond yields and supports prospects for the emergence of some USD dip-buying. This, in turn, should contribute to capping the upside for the AUD/USD pair. Traders now look to the US macro data and speeches by influential FOMC members for a fresh impetus.

US Dollar PRICE Today

The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies today. US Dollar was the strongest against the Euro.

  USD EUR GBP JPY CAD AUD NZD CHF
USD   0.11% 0.08% -0.66% -0.12% -0.20% 0.07% -0.14%
EUR -0.11%   -0.03% -0.76% -0.23% -0.30% -0.04% -0.25%
GBP -0.08% 0.03%   -0.72% -0.20% -0.29% -0.00% -0.22%
JPY 0.66% 0.76% 0.72%   0.54% 0.47% 0.71% 0.53%
CAD 0.12% 0.23% 0.20% -0.54%   -0.07% 0.20% -0.02%
AUD 0.20% 0.30% 0.29% -0.47% 0.07%   0.27% 0.05%
NZD -0.07% 0.04% 0.00% -0.71% -0.20% -0.27%   -0.22%
CHF 0.14% 0.25% 0.22% -0.53% 0.02% -0.05% 0.22%  

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 US Dollar from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent USD (base)/JPY (quote).

 

Share: Feed news

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


Recommended content

Editors’ Picks

AUD/USD consolidates near two-week high, looks to US NFP for fresh impetus

AUD/USD consolidates near two-week high, looks to US NFP for fresh impetus

AUD/USD holds steady around the 0.6335 area during the Asian session on Friday as traders now await the US NFP report. Bets that the Fed will cut rates further amid concerns over failing US economic growth keep the USD depressed near a multi-month low and act as a tailwind for spot prices, though tariff jitters warrant caution for bulls.

AUD/USD News
USD/JPY seems vulnerable amid divergent Fed-BoJ expectations; US NFP awaited

USD/JPY seems vulnerable amid divergent Fed-BoJ expectations; US NFP awaited

USD/JPY languishes near its lowest level since October touched on Thursday amid a bearish USD, led by bets that the Fed could cut rates multiple times in 2025 amid slowing US economic growth. Moreover, the hawkish sentiment surrounding the BoJ's policy outlook underpins the JPY and validates the negative bias for the pair. 

USD/JPY News
Gold price remains depressed ahead of US NFP; trade jitters to limit losses

Gold price remains depressed ahead of US NFP; trade jitters to limit losses

Gold price trades with negative bias for the second straight day, though a combination of factors continues to act as a tailwind ahead of the crucial US NFP report later this Friday. Rising trade tensions continue to weigh on investors' sentiment.

Gold News
XRP investors enlarge realized profits to $2 billion despite potential inclusion in US crypto reserve

XRP investors enlarge realized profits to $2 billion despite potential inclusion in US crypto reserve

Ripple's XRP managed to record gains on Thursday despite investors expanding their total realized profits to about $2 billion since the beginning of the week.

Read more
Make Europe great again? Germany’s fiscal shift is redefining the European investment playbook

Make Europe great again? Germany’s fiscal shift is redefining the European investment playbook

For years, Europe has been synonymous with slow growth, fiscal austerity, and an overreliance on monetary policy to keep its economic engine running. But a major shift is now underway. Germany, long the poster child of fiscal discipline, is cracking open the purse strings, and the ripple effects could be huge.

Read more
The Best brokers to trade EUR/USD

The Best brokers to trade EUR/USD

SPONSORED Discover the top brokers for trading EUR/USD in 2025. Our list features brokers with competitive spreads, fast execution, and powerful platforms. Whether you're a beginner or an expert, find the right partner to navigate the dynamic Forex market.

Read More

Forex MAJORS

Cryptocurrencies

Signatures

Best Brokers of 2025