RBNZ cuts rates, signals more easing ahead – ING

FXStreet Insights Team FXStreet

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand delivered a widely expected rate cut and opened the door to further easing as trade tensions weigh on the outlook. With AUD and NZD under pressure, any sign of de-escalation between China and the US could offer much-needed relief, ING's FX analyst Francesco Pesole notes.

AUD and NZD struggle amid trade war pressures

"The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) cut rates by 25bp to 3.5% this morning, matching expectations. Guidance remained dovish, with policymakers signalling more room to cut rates as trade war effects unfold. We now think the RBNZ will take rates below 3.0%, probably to a 2.75% terminal rate, which is still above market pricing for 2.5%."

"The FX implications are very much secondary compared to the direction of trade news. AUD and NZD remain key laggards in G10 due to their proxy role for China. The People's Bank of China's (PBoC's) greater appetite for a lower yuan could take some pressure off the proxies, but it is not enough to trigger any strong rebound."

"AUD/USD has broken below the key 0.60 mark and NZD may follow by breaching the 0.55 support in the coming sessions. Given how far Antipodeans have fallen, they will be the biggest beneficiaries from any sign of de-escalation between China and the US."

Author

FXStreet Insights Team

FXStreet

The FXStreet Insights Team is a group of journalists that handpicks selected market observations published by renowned experts. The content includes notes by commercial as well as additional insights by internal and external analysts.

EUR/USD flirts with daily highs, retargets 1.1900

EUR/USD regains upside traction, returning to the 1.1880 zone and refocusing its attention to the key 1.1900 barrier. The pair’s slight gains comes against the backdrop of a humble decline in the US Dollar as investors continue to assess the latest US CPI readings and the potential Fed’s rate path.

GBP/USD remains well bid around 1.3650

GBP/USD maintains its upside momentum in place, hovering around daily highs near 1.3650 and setting aside part of the recent three-day drop. Cable’s improved sentiment comes on the back of the Greenback’s irresolute price action, while recent hawkish comments from the BoE’s Pill also collaborate with the uptick.

Gold clings to gains just above $5,000/oz

Gold is reclaiming part of the ground lost on Wednesday’s marked decline, as bargain-hunters keep piling up and lifting prices past the key $5,000 per troy ounce. The precious metal’s move higher is also underpinned by the slight pullback in the US Dollar and declining US Treasury yields across the curve.

Crypto Today: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP in choppy price action, weighed down by falling institutional interest

Bitcoin's upside remains largely constrained amid weak technicals and declining institutional interest. Ethereum trades sideways above $1,900 support with the upside capped below $2,000 amid ETF outflows.

Week ahead – Data blitz, Fed Minutes and RBNZ decision in the spotlight

US GDP and PCE inflation are main highlights, plus the Fed minutes. UK and Japan have busy calendars too with focus on CPI. Flash PMIs for February will also be doing the rounds. RBNZ meets, is unlikely to follow RBA’s hawkish path.

Ripple Price Forecast: XRP potential bottom could be in sight

Ripple edges up above the intraday low of $1.35 at the time of writing on Friday amid mixed price actions across the crypto market. The remittance token failed to hold support at $1.40 the previous day, reflecting risk-off sentiment amid a decline in retail and institutional sentiment.