AUD/USD tumbles to near 0.6480 despite breakthrough in US-Australia bilateral trade
- AUD/USD slumps to near 0.6480 as the US Dollar outperforms despite firm Fed dovish bets.
- The US and Australia signed a trade deal on critical minerals.
- The Fed is almost certain to cut interest rates in the monetary policy announcement next week.
The AUD/USD pair is down over 0.5% to near 0.6480 during the European trading session on Tuesday. The Aussie pair faces intense selling pressure as the Australian Dollar (AUD) underperforms a majority of its peers despite a breakthrough in bilateral trade between the United States (US) and Australia.
Earlier in the day, the US and Australian governments signed a trade agreement on critical minerals, which both called a major step towards strengthening ties.
The US-Australia deal on critical minerals is also seen as an attempt by Washington to avoid dependency on China for rare earth minerals.
Trade relations between the US and China have been going through a rough phase since the imposition of export controls by Beijing on rare earths. In response, Washington also increased tariffs on imports from the dragon economy by 100%.
However, trade frictions between the world’s largest powerhouses are expected to have diminished lately as US President Donald Trump stated on Friday that higher tariffs on Beijing won’t last long.
Meanwhile, the US Dollar (USD) extends its upside despite the Federal Reserve (Fed) being largely expected to cut interest rates in its upcoming policy meeting next week. During the press time, the US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback's value against six major currencies, jumps to near 99.00.
US Dollar Price Today
The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies today. US Dollar was the strongest against the Japanese Yen.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 0.15% | 0.14% | 0.76% | 0.08% | 0.34% | 0.41% | 0.22% | |
| EUR | -0.15% | -0.02% | 0.60% | -0.09% | 0.17% | 0.24% | 0.06% | |
| GBP | -0.14% | 0.02% | 0.59% | -0.06% | 0.20% | 0.27% | 0.08% | |
| JPY | -0.76% | -0.60% | -0.59% | -0.68% | -0.42% | -0.35% | -0.52% | |
| CAD | -0.08% | 0.09% | 0.06% | 0.68% | 0.26% | 0.34% | 0.15% | |
| AUD | -0.34% | -0.17% | -0.20% | 0.42% | -0.26% | 0.07% | -0.12% | |
| NZD | -0.41% | -0.24% | -0.27% | 0.35% | -0.34% | -0.07% | -0.18% | |
| CHF | -0.22% | -0.06% | -0.08% | 0.52% | -0.15% | 0.12% | 0.18% |
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 US Dollar from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent USD (base)/JPY (quote).
According to the CME FedWatch tool, traders have almost priced in a 25-basis-point (bps) reduction in the Federal Fund Rate that will push them lower to 3.75%-4.00%. This will be the second interest rate cut by the Fed in a row.
This week, investors will focus on the delayed US Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for September, which will be released on Friday.
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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