Australian Dollar weakens as Australian Unemployment Rate rises, PBOC holds rates steady
- AUD/USD weakens to around 0.7080 in Friday’s Asian session.
- Australia’s Unemployment Rate rose to 4.3% in February, below the market consensus.
- PBOC kept the LPR rates steady in March, as expected.
The AUD/USD pair trades in negative territory near 0.7080 during the Asian trading hours on Friday. The Australian Dollar (AUD) softens against the US Dollar (USD after Australia’s unemployment rate increased in February.
Data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Thursday showed that Unemployment Rate climbed to 4.3% in February from 4.1% in January. The figure came in above the market consensus of 4.1%.
The weaker Australia’s employment data cooled expectations for interest rate hikes from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), which could weigh on the Aussie. Money markets lowered the probability of a May 2026 rate hike from 61% down to 57% following the jobs data.
The People's Bank of China (PBOC) maintained its benchmark lending rates on Friday. The one-year and five-year Loan Prime Rates (LPRs) were at 3.00% and 3.50%, respectively.
The Federal Reserve (Fed) held interest rates steady at a target range of 3.50% to 3.75% following its March meeting on Wednesday. The median "dot plot" projection still suggested one 25-basis-point (bps) rate cut later in 2026, though some officials now expect no cuts at all this year.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell said during the press conference that the ongoing war in Iran has created an "energy shock" and heightened uncertainty, complicating the path for future policy.
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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