- AUD/USD rebounds as the US Dollar corrects with US NFP data taking centre stage.
- US employers are expected to have posted fresh 8.1 million job vacancies in July.
- The Aussie economy expanded at an expected pace of 1% on an annualized basis.
The AUD/USD pair bounces back and recovers its intraday losses after posting a fresh two-week low slightly below the crucial support of 0.6700 in Wednesday’s European session. The Aussie asset rebounds as the US Dollar (USD) corrects moderately after posting a fresh two-week high. The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback’s value against six major currencies, falls from recent highs of 102.00 to nearly 101.60.
Market sentiment remains risk-averse as investors are cautious ahead of the United States (US) Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) data for August, which will be published on Friday. S&P 500 futures extend Tuesday’s downside further, exhibiting a decline in investors’ risk appetite.
Investors keenly await the US labor market data as it will shape the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) interest rate cut path for the September meeting. The significance of the labor market has increased as the commentary from Fed Chair Jerome Powell at the Jackson Hole (JH) Symposium signalled that the central bank is focused on preventing job losses, given that price pressures are on track to return sustainably to bank’s target of 2%.
Before that, the US Dollar will be guided by the JOLTS Job Openings data for July, which will be published at 14:00 GMT. Economists expect that US employers posted 8.1 million fresh job vacancies, marginally lower from 8.184 million in June.
On the Aussie front, the Australian Dollar (AUD) recovers losses driven by mixed Q2 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) data. The report showed that the economy expanded steadily by 0.2%, slower than the estimate of 0.3%. Annualized GDP grew in line with expectations of 1%, slower than the former reading of 1.3%, upwardly revised from 1.1%.
Going forward, investors will focus on the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Michele Bullock’s speech on Thursday. Investors will look for fresh cues about whether the RBA will pivot to policy normalization this year.
Australian Dollar FAQs
One of the most significant factors for the Australian Dollar (AUD) is the level of interest rates set by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). Because Australia is a resource-rich country another key driver is the price of its biggest export, Iron Ore. The health of the Chinese economy, its largest trading partner, is a factor, as well as inflation in Australia, its growth rate and Trade Balance. Market sentiment – whether investors are taking on more risky assets (risk-on) or seeking safe-havens (risk-off) – is also a factor, with risk-on positive for AUD.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) influences the Australian Dollar (AUD) by setting the level of interest rates that Australian banks can lend to each other. This influences the level of interest rates in the economy as a whole. The main goal of the RBA is to maintain a stable inflation rate of 2-3% by adjusting interest rates up or down. Relatively high interest rates compared to other major central banks support the AUD, and the opposite for relatively low. The RBA can also use quantitative easing and tightening to influence credit conditions, with the former AUD-negative and the latter AUD-positive.
China is Australia’s largest trading partner so the health of the Chinese economy is a major influence on the value of the Australian Dollar (AUD). When the Chinese economy is doing well it purchases more raw materials, goods and services from Australia, lifting demand for the AUD, and pushing up its value. The opposite is the case when the Chinese economy is not growing as fast as expected. Positive or negative surprises in Chinese growth data, therefore, often have a direct impact on the Australian Dollar and its pairs.
Iron Ore is Australia’s largest export, accounting for $118 billion a year according to data from 2021, with China as its primary destination. The price of Iron Ore, therefore, can be a driver of the Australian Dollar. Generally, if the price of Iron Ore rises, AUD also goes up, as aggregate demand for the currency increases. The opposite is the case if the price of Iron Ore falls. Higher Iron Ore prices also tend to result in a greater likelihood of a positive Trade Balance for Australia, which is also positive of the AUD.
The Trade Balance, which is the difference between what a country earns from its exports versus what it pays for its imports, is another factor that can influence the value of the Australian Dollar. If Australia produces highly sought after exports, then its currency will gain in value purely from the surplus demand created from foreign buyers seeking to purchase its exports versus what it spends to purchase imports. Therefore, a positive net Trade Balance strengthens the AUD, with the opposite effect if the Trade Balance is negative.
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