AUD/USD holds steady near two-week high, above mid-0.7100s amid risk-on/softer USD

A combination of factors assisted AUD/USD to gain traction for the third successive day.
The risk-on impulse benefitted the perceived riskier aussie amid modest USD weakness.
The upside potential seems limited as investors await the key US CPI report on Thursday.

Haresh Menghani FXStreet

The AUD/USD pair maintained its bid tone through the first half of the European session and was last seen trading near a two-week high, around the 0.7165-0.7170 region.

The pair built on its positive move witnessed since the beginning of this week and gained follow-through traction for the third successive day on Wednesday. The risk-on impulse in the markets benefitted the perceived riskier aussie and remained supportive amid modest US dollar weakness.

A softer tone surrounding the US Treasury bond yields weighed on the USD. That said, rising bets for a 50 bps Fed rate hike in March should limit the downside for the US bond yields and the buck. This, in turn, warrants some caution before placing aggressive bullish bets around the AUD/USD pair.

Investors seem convinced that the Fed would adopt a more aggressive policy response to contain high inflation. Hence, the focus will remain on the US CPI report, due on Thursday, which will influence the near-term USD price dynamics and provide a fresh directional impetus to the AUD/USD pair.

In the meantime, the US bond yields would continue to play a key role in driving the USD demand amid absent relevant market moving economic releases. Apart from this, traders will take cues from the broader market risk sentiment to grab some short-term opportunities around the AUD/USD pair.

Technical levels to watch

AUD/USD

Overview
Today last price	0.716
Today Daily Change	0.0015
Today Daily Change %	0.21
Today daily open	0.7145

Trends
Daily SMA20	0.7152
Daily SMA50	0.7164
Daily SMA100	0.725
Daily SMA200	0.7374

Levels
Previous Daily High	0.7148
Previous Daily Low	0.7106
Previous Weekly High	0.7168
Previous Weekly Low	0.6985
Previous Monthly High	0.7315
Previous Monthly Low	0.6966
Daily Fibonacci 38.2%	0.7132
Daily Fibonacci 61.8%	0.7122
Daily Pivot Point S1	0.7118
Daily Pivot Point S2	0.709
Daily Pivot Point S3	0.7075
Daily Pivot Point R1	0.716
Daily Pivot Point R2	0.7175
Daily Pivot Point R3	0.7203

Author

Haresh Menghani

FXStreet

Haresh Menghani is a detail-oriented professional with 10+ years of extensive experience in analysing the global financial markets.

EUR/USD trims gains, back below 1.1800

EUR/USD now loses some upside momentum, returning to the area below the 1.1800 support as the Greenback manages to regain some composure following the SCOTUS-led pullback earlier in the session.

GBP/USD off highs, recedes to the sub-1.3500 area

Following earlier highs north of 1.3500 the figure, GBP/USD now faces some renewed downside pressure, revisiting the 1.3490 zone as the US Dollar manages to regain some upside impulse in the latter part of the NA session on Friday.

Gold climbs to weekly tops, approaches $5,100/oz

Gold keeps the bid tone well in place at the end of the week, now hitting fresh weekly highs and retargeting the key $5,100 mark per troy ounce. The move higher in the yellow metal comes in response to ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and modest losses in the US Dollar.