NZD/USD gathers strength above 0.5800 on RBNZ hawkish hold
- NZD/USD edges higher to around 0.5830 in Thursday’s early European session.
- RBNZ’s Breman said the country could see stronger growth if the Middle East conflict ends soon.
- Iran’s parliamentary speaker stated that the US had breached the terms of the ceasefire deal.
The NZD/USD pair gains ground to near 0.5830 during the Asian trading hours on Thursday. The New Zealand Dollar (NZD) strengthens against the US Dollar (USD) following a hawkish pause from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ).
As widely expected, New Zealand’s central bank decided to hold the Official Cash Rate (OCR) steady at 2.25% at its April policy meeting on Wednesday. RBNZ Governor Anna Breman said during the press conference that higher oil prices are reducing household purchasing power and business profit margins, leading to a cautious "wait and see" stance.
On Thursday, Breman said that the domestic economy could see stronger growth this year if there was a swift resolution to the conflict in the Middle East. She further stated that the previous rate cuts were still providing some stimulus.
Escalating tensions in the Middle East could provide some support to the Greenback as a safe-haven currency. Iran’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stated on Wednesday that the US had breached the terms of the ceasefire deal. His remarks came after Israel launched a large-scale campaign across Lebanon, killing over 250 people as a result.
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the ceasefire between the US and Iran does not include operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
New Zealand Dollar FAQs
The New Zealand Dollar (NZD), also known as the Kiwi, is a well-known traded currency among investors. Its value is broadly determined by the health of the New Zealand economy and the country’s central bank policy. Still, there are some unique particularities that also can make NZD move. The performance of the Chinese economy tends to move the Kiwi because China is New Zealand’s biggest trading partner. Bad news for the Chinese economy likely means less New Zealand exports to the country, hitting the economy and thus its currency. Another factor moving NZD is dairy prices as the dairy industry is New Zealand’s main export. High dairy prices boost export income, contributing positively to the economy and thus to the NZD.
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) aims to achieve and maintain an inflation rate between 1% and 3% over the medium term, with a focus to keep it near the 2% mid-point. To this end, the bank sets an appropriate level of interest rates. When inflation is too high, the RBNZ will increase interest rates to cool the economy, but the move will also make bond yields higher, increasing investors’ appeal to invest in the country and thus boosting NZD. On the contrary, lower interest rates tend to weaken NZD. The so-called rate differential, or how rates in New Zealand are or are expected to be compared to the ones set by the US Federal Reserve, can also play a key role in moving the NZD/USD pair.
Macroeconomic data releases in New Zealand are key to assess the state of the economy and can impact the New Zealand Dollar’s (NZD) valuation. A strong economy, based on high economic growth, low unemployment and high confidence is good for NZD. High economic growth attracts foreign investment and may encourage the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to increase interest rates, if this economic strength comes together with elevated inflation. Conversely, if economic data is weak, NZD is likely to depreciate.
The New Zealand Dollar (NZD) tends to strengthen during risk-on periods, or when investors perceive that broader market risks are low and are optimistic about growth. This tends to lead to a more favorable outlook for commodities and so-called ‘commodity currencies’ such as the Kiwi. Conversely, NZD tends to weaken at times of market turbulence or economic uncertainty as investors tend to sell higher-risk assets and flee to the more-stable safe havens.
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