New Zealand Dollar strengthens against USD on weak US data ahead NFP
- The New Zealand Dollar strengthens against the US Dollar ahead of the US Nonfarm Payrolls report.
- Recent US economic data raises concerns about the strength of the economy and weighs on the Greenback.
- Investors now turn their attention to the NFP report for fresh clues on the Federal Reserve's policy outlook.
NZD/USD trades higher around 0.5680 on Thursday at the time of writing, up 0.16% on the day, as investors reduce their exposure to the US Dollar (USD) ahead of the release of the US Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) report. The pair benefits from the Greenback's weakness following a string of softer-than-expected US economic data and a less hawkish tone from Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Kevin Warsh.
The ADP Employment Change report showed that the US private sector added just 98K jobs in June, below market expectations, while the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) eased to 53.3, also missing forecasts. These releases tempered expectations for a more aggressive tightening cycle by the Fed and shifted investors' focus toward the official employment report.
Speaking at the European Central Bank (ECB) Forum on Wednesday, Kevin Warsh reiterated that inflation remains above the central bank's 2% target but stopped short of providing clear guidance on the next monetary policy decision. His remarks were perceived as less hawkish than expected, adding pressure on the US Dollar.
Market sentiment also improved on signs of easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Qatari officials reported progress in talks between the United States (US) and Iran, while US Vice President JD Vance said negotiations were advancing positively, reducing demand for safe-haven assets, including the US Dollar.
On the New Zealand side, the New Zealand Dollar (NZD) remains supported against the US Dollar, although lower Oil prices could limit its upside by reducing inflation risks and expectations of further interest rate hikes from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ). Investors will also monitor New Zealand's Consumer Confidence data, due on Friday.
Attention now turns to the US Nonfarm Payrolls report. A stronger-than-expected release could support the US Dollar by reinforcing expectations that interest rates will remain higher for longer, while weaker data could add to the Greenback's current weakness and allow NZD/USD to extend its gains.
New Zealand Dollar Price Today
The table below shows the percentage change of New Zealand Dollar (NZD) against listed major currencies today. New Zealand Dollar was the strongest against the US Dollar.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | -0.32% | -0.41% | -0.76% | -0.06% | -0.03% | -0.13% | -0.47% | |
| EUR | 0.32% | -0.09% | -0.46% | 0.25% | 0.29% | 0.21% | -0.15% | |
| GBP | 0.41% | 0.09% | -0.34% | 0.34% | 0.38% | 0.30% | -0.06% | |
| JPY | 0.76% | 0.46% | 0.34% | 0.68% | 0.73% | 0.60% | 0.28% | |
| CAD | 0.06% | -0.25% | -0.34% | -0.68% | 0.04% | -0.05% | -0.41% | |
| AUD | 0.03% | -0.29% | -0.38% | -0.73% | -0.04% | -0.08% | -0.46% | |
| NZD | 0.13% | -0.21% | -0.30% | -0.60% | 0.05% | 0.08% | -0.36% | |
| CHF | 0.47% | 0.15% | 0.06% | -0.28% | 0.41% | 0.46% | 0.36% |
The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the New Zealand Dollar from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the US Dollar, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent NZD (base)/USD (quote).
Recommended Articles
