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AUD/USD keeps the red below 0.6700, remains vulnerable amid broad-based USD strength

  • AUD/USD drops to its lowest level since June 2020 amid sustained USD buying.
  • Aggressive Fed rate hike bets, the risk-off mood continues to underpin the buck.
  • Bearish traders take a breather as the focus remains glued to the FOMC decision.

The AUD/USD pair adds to the previous day's losses and continues losing ground for the second straight day on Wednesday. Spot prices drop to the lowest level since June 2020, though find some support just ahead of the mid-0.6600s.

The strong US dollar buying interest remains unabated through the early European session amid hawkish Fed expectations and turns out to be a key factor exerting downward pressure on the AUD/USD pair. In fact, the US central bank is expected to deliver another supersized 75 bps rate hike at the end of a two-day meeting on Wednesday.

The markets have also been pricing in a small probability of a full 100 bps increase, which, along with the prevalent risk-off mood, continues to boost the safe-haven buck. Concerns about a deeper global economic downturn temper investors' appetite for riskier assets and further contributes to driving flows away from the risk-sensitive aussie.

The anti-risk flow, meanwhile, triggers a modest pullback in the US Treasury bond yields and is holding back the USD bulls from placing aggressive bets. Traders also seem reluctant to place aggressive bets ahead of the key central bank event risk, which, in turn, offers some support to the AUD/USD pair and limits the downside, for the time being.

The fundamental backdrop, however, remains tilted firmly in favour of bearish traders and suggests that the path of least resistance for the AUD/USD pair is to the downside. Hence, any meaningful recovery attempt might still be seen as a selling opportunity and runs the risk of fizzling out rather quickly amid the underlying USD bullish sentiment.

Technical levels to watch

AUD/USD

Overview
Today last price0.6677
Today Daily Change-0.0012
Today Daily Change %-0.18
Today daily open0.6689
 
Trends
Daily SMA200.6805
Daily SMA500.6887
Daily SMA1000.6944
Daily SMA2000.7103
 
Levels
Previous Daily High0.6748
Previous Daily Low0.6676
Previous Weekly High0.6916
Previous Weekly Low0.667
Previous Monthly High0.7137
Previous Monthly Low0.6835
Daily Fibonacci 38.2%0.6704
Daily Fibonacci 61.8%0.672
Daily Pivot Point S10.6661
Daily Pivot Point S20.6633
Daily Pivot Point S30.659
Daily Pivot Point R10.6732
Daily Pivot Point R20.6775
Daily Pivot Point R30.6803

Author

Haresh Menghani

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

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