AUD/USD trims gains after strong US NFP

AUD/USD pares gains as strong US jobs data supports the US Dollar.
Holiday-thinned liquidity keeps price action muted despite NFP upside surprise.
Strong US jobs data gives the Fed room to keep interest rates unchanged for longer.

Vishal Chaturvedi FXStreet

AUD/USD reverses earlier gains on Friday as stronger-than-expected US Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) data supports the US Dollar (USD), adding modest pressure on the Australian Dollar (AUD), while price action remains subdued amid thin liquidity due to the Good Friday holiday.

At the time of writing, AUD/USD is trading around 0.6900, after touching an intraday high of 0.6916. Meanwhile, the US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback's value against a basket of six major currencies, is consolidating gains above the 100 mark.

According to data released by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the US economy added 178K jobs in March, comfortably exceeding expectations of 60K. Notably, February’s figure was revised lower to show a loss of 133K jobs, compared to the previously reported decline of 92K. The Unemployment Rate ticked lower to 4.3% from 4.4%.

Despite the strong headline print, softer wage growth offered a more balanced picture. Average Hourly Earnings rose by 0.2% MoM in March, below the 0.3% forecast and easing from 0.4% previously. On an annual basis, earnings increased by 3.5%, missing expectations of 3.7% and slowing from 3.8%.

The data reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve (Fed) will remain patient before delivering any rate cuts, as ongoing Oil-driven inflation risks continue to cloud the policy outlook. This has prompted traders to scale back rate cut expectations and increasingly price in a prolonged hold, with markets now expecting rates to remain unchanged through 2026, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.

Elsewhere, traders also digested the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China, released earlier on Friday, which showed the Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) rising to 50.4 in March, up from 49 previously and above expectations of 50.1. Australia’s economy is closely tied to China, its largest trading partner, making the Australian Dollar sensitive to shifts in Chinese economic activity.

Australian Dollar FAQs

What key factors drive the Australian Dollar?

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.

How do the decisions of the Reserve Bank of Australia impact the Australian Dollar?

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.

How does the health of the Chinese Economy impact the Australian Dollar?

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.

How does the price of Iron Ore impact the Australian Dollar?

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.

How does the Trade Balance impact the Australian Dollar?

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.

Author

Vishal Chaturvedi

FXStreet

I am a macro-focused research analyst with over four years of experience covering forex and commodities market. I enjoy breaking down complex economic trends and turning them into clear, actionable insights that help traders stay ahead of the curve.

GBP/USD keeps the firm tone above 1.3600

GBP/USD clings to its daily gains, although it gives back some of them and recedes toward the 1.3630-1.3620 band on Thursday. Cable’s uptick comes despite the modest bounce in the Greenback, while investors gear up for key data releases on the UK calendar on Friday.

EUR/USD treads water near 1.1670

EUR/USD gives away all its initial gains and receded to the sub-1.1700 region. The US Dollar’s late recovery has dragged the pair lower, leaving it practically unchanged following the NA session on Thursday. In the meantime, investors gear up for the release of preliminary S&P Global Manufacturing and Services PMIs on both sides of the Atlantic on Friday.

Gold trims losses, back above $4,500

Gold manages to regain some composure and reclaim the area beyond the key $4,500 mark per troy ounce on Thursday. The yellow metal’s daily decline comes amid the humble improvement in the US Dollar while US Treasury yields remain on the rise following Wednesday’s marked retracement across the curve.

XRP extends rally as bullish technical signals underpin breakout attempt

Ripple holds in bullish hands, as price action extends above $1.16 at the time of writing on Thursday. Since Monday, the cross-border remittance token has surged by more than 20%, reflecting a steady growth in risk-on sentiment. The broader crypto market sentiment is on an upward roll at 62 in the Greed territory on Thursday, up from 46 the previous day, according to the Fear & Greed Index.

Why long bonds have repriced the cost of money

The 30-year Treasury is 12 basis points below its highest level since before the financial crisis. Not its highest since 2023, or since the tightening cycle, but since June 12, 2007, the last time the longest bond in the world's deepest market yielded what it yields on Thursday. Getting there took two attempts and most of the year.

$20 billion offered, $2 billion taken: Why Treasury doubled its buyback cap

The US Treasury moved off its own calendar on Wednesday, and that is the part worth sitting with. At 12:32 GMT, the department said it would at least double the size of liquidity support buyback operations in the 10-year to 20-year and 20-year to 30-year sectors, lifting the maximum from $2 billion per operation to at least $4 billion, effective September 9 and running to November 4.