AUD/USD recovers early losses driven by weak Aussie employment data
- AUD/USD rebounds to near 0.6500 after recovering weak Aussie employment-driven losses.
- Australian Unemployment Rate rose to 4.5% in September against estimates and the prior release of 4.3%.
- Firm Fed dovish bets and US government shutdown remain drags on the US Dollar.
The AUD/USD pair claws back its early losses and recovers to near 0.6500 during the European trading session on Thursday. The Aussie pair attracts bids after sliding to near 0.6480.
Earlier in the day, the Australian Dollar faced significant selling pressure after the release of the labor market data for September, which signaled slowdown in the job demand.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that the Unemployment Rate accelerated to 4.5%, the highest level seen since November 2021. Economists expected the jobless rate to have remained steady at 4.3%. Fresh workers added by employers during the period were recorded at 14.9K, lower than expectations of 17K. In August, 11.8K employers were laid-off.
Meanwhile, the US Dollar (USD) trades cautiously amid firm Federal Reserve (Fed) dovish bets and ongoing United States (US) government shutdown.
At the press time, the US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback’s value against six major currencies, trades close to the weekly low around 98.50.
According to the CME FedWatch tool, traders see a 94.6% that the Fed will reduce interest rates by 50 basis points (bps) to 3.50%-3.75% in the remaining 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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