AUD/USD declines as US trade policy uncertainty fuels volatility

Source Fxstreet
  • AUD/USD retreats from its earlier rebound and trades around 0.7080 at the start of the week.
  • Uncertainty over US trade policy revives volatility in the FX market.
  • Expectations of Federal Reserve rate cuts limit the US Dollar’s upside potential.

AUD/USD trades around 0.7080 on Monday at the time of writing, down 0.05% on the day, after briefly rising above the 0.7100 level during the Asian session. The pair reverses its short-term trajectory as the Australian Dollar (AUD) weakens against most of its major peers, amid renewed trade uncertainty and investor repositioning.

The US Dollar (USD) shows broader signs of fatigue, with the US Dollar Index (DXY) hovering near 97.60, slightly lower on the day. The Greenback remains pressured by doubts surrounding the consistency of US trade policy, following the Supreme Court’s decision to curb the scope of certain tariff measures. The ruling has reignited questions about regulatory visibility and the credibility of economic policy direction in Washington.

In response, US President Donald Trump announced the imposition of a 15% global tariff on imports to maintain pressure on trading partners. This move sustains a risk-averse environment and fuels defensive flows, providing partial support to the US Dollar while increasing volatility in cyclical currencies such as the Aussie.

Meanwhile, expectations of monetary easing continue to weigh on the Greenback. Markets still price in the possibility of at least two additional 25 basis point rate cuts from the Federal Reserve (Fed) by year-end, against a backdrop of moderating growth and softer forward-looking indicators. Recent data, including weaker-than-expected Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures and softer Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) readings, reinforce this cautious outlook.

On the Australian side, a still-hawkish stance from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) could help limit the Aussie’s losses. Stronger-than-expected economic releases support the view that the central bank maintains a tightening bias in order to contain persistent inflationary pressures. This relative policy divergence between the RBA and the Fed helps contain downside pressure on AUD/USD, although the pair remains highly sensitive to shifts in global sentiment and trade developments.

Australian Dollar Price Today

The table below shows the percentage change of Australian Dollar (AUD) against listed major currencies today. Australian Dollar was the strongest against the New Zealand Dollar.

USD EUR GBP JPY CAD AUD NZD CHF
USD -0.11% -0.15% -0.12% -0.07% 0.05% 0.02% -0.04%
EUR 0.11% -0.04% -0.04% 0.05% 0.16% 0.12% 0.07%
GBP 0.15% 0.04% 0.02% 0.08% 0.20% 0.17% 0.11%
JPY 0.12% 0.04% -0.02% 0.08% 0.19% 0.16% 0.11%
CAD 0.07% -0.05% -0.08% -0.08% 0.12% 0.08% 0.03%
AUD -0.05% -0.16% -0.20% -0.19% -0.12% -0.04% -0.11%
NZD -0.02% -0.12% -0.17% -0.16% -0.08% 0.04% -0.06%
CHF 0.04% -0.07% -0.11% -0.11% -0.03% 0.11% 0.06%

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 Australian Dollar from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the US Dollar, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent AUD (base)/USD (quote).

Disclaimer: For information purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
placeholder
Ethereum (ETH) Price Closes Above $3,900 — Is a New All-Time High Possible Before 2024 Ends?Once again, the price of Ethereum (ETH) has risen above $3,900. This bounce has hinted at a further price increase for the altcoin before the end of the year.
Author  Beincrypto
Dec 17, 2024
Once again, the price of Ethereum (ETH) has risen above $3,900. This bounce has hinted at a further price increase for the altcoin before the end of the year.
placeholder
Top 3 Price Prediction: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Ripple – BTC, ETH and XRP face downside risk as bears regain control Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Ripple (XRP) remain under pressure on Wednesday, with the broader trend still sideways. BTC is edging below $68,000, nearing the lower consolidating boundary, while ETH and XRP also declined slightly, approaching their key supports.
Author  FXStreet
Feb 18, Wed
Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Ripple (XRP) remain under pressure on Wednesday, with the broader trend still sideways. BTC is edging below $68,000, nearing the lower consolidating boundary, while ETH and XRP also declined slightly, approaching their key supports.
placeholder
Silver Price Forecast: XAG/USD rises to near $78.00 on safe-haven demandSilver price (XAG/USD) extends its gains for the second successive session, trading around $78.00 per troy ounce during the Asian hours on Thursday. The precious metal Silver receives support from rising safe-haven demand amid persistent tensions between the United States (US) and Iran.
Author  FXStreet
Feb 19, Thu
Silver price (XAG/USD) extends its gains for the second successive session, trading around $78.00 per troy ounce during the Asian hours on Thursday. The precious metal Silver receives support from rising safe-haven demand amid persistent tensions between the United States (US) and Iran.
placeholder
Top 3 Price Prediction: BTC, ETH and XRP remain range-bound as breakdown risks riseBitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Ripple (XRP) are trading sideways within consolidation ranges on Friday, signaling a lack of directional bias in the broader crypto market.
Author  FXStreet
Feb 20, Fri
Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Ripple (XRP) are trading sideways within consolidation ranges on Friday, signaling a lack of directional bias in the broader crypto market.
placeholder
Gold rises to near $5,150 as Trump’s tariffs boost haven demand, US-Iran talks eyedGold price (XAU/USD) edges higher to near $5,095 during the early Asian session on Monday. The precious metal extends the rally amid US President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and uncertainty, boosting safe-haven flows. 
Author  FXStreet
11 hours ago
Gold price (XAU/USD) edges higher to near $5,095 during the early Asian session on Monday. The precious metal extends the rally amid US President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and uncertainty, boosting safe-haven flows. 
Related Instrument
goTop
quote