Australian Dollar opens lower as Iran warns against US ground military action
- Australian Dollar faces selling pressure at the start of the week amid risk-off market sentiment.
- Iran releases a stark warning against the US plans of ground invasion.
- This week, investors will focus on key US labor market-related economic releases.
The Australian Dollar (AUD) trades lower against its major currency peers at the start of the week, trading 0.27% lower to near 0.6850 against the US Dollar (USD) in the opening trade. The antipodeans face selling pressure as investors worry that conflicts in the Middle East are set to widen amid fears that the United States (US) will send troops for ground military action in Iran.
Australian Dollar Price Today
The table below shows the percentage change of Australian Dollar (AUD) against listed major currencies today. Australian Dollar was the weakest against the US Dollar.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 0.17% | 0.17% | 0.06% | 0.04% | 0.38% | 0.33% | 0.12% | |
| EUR | -0.17% | -0.01% | -0.07% | -0.13% | 0.26% | 0.16% | -0.06% | |
| GBP | -0.17% | 0.00% | 0.00% | -0.12% | 0.25% | 0.17% | -0.05% | |
| JPY | -0.06% | 0.07% | 0.00% | -0.03% | 0.32% | 0.24% | 0.03% | |
| CAD | -0.04% | 0.13% | 0.12% | 0.03% | 0.35% | 0.23% | 0.06% | |
| AUD | -0.38% | -0.26% | -0.25% | -0.32% | -0.35% | -0.08% | -0.28% | |
| NZD | -0.33% | -0.16% | -0.17% | -0.24% | -0.23% | 0.08% | -0.22% | |
| CHF | -0.12% | 0.06% | 0.05% | -0.03% | -0.06% | 0.28% | 0.22% |
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).
Last week, a report from the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) showed that the US Pentagon is planning to send up to 10,000 additional ground troops in Iran, at times when President Donald Trump has announced a 10-day postponement of planned military action on Iran’s power plants in an attempt to de-escalate conflicts.
In response, Iran’s Brigadier General Ebrahim Zolfaqari has issued a stark warning on the Iranian state TV against US attempts of ground invasion, saying that “US troops will be food for the Persian Gulf”.
As of writing, weakness in S&P 500 futures, being down 0.55% at the start of the week, reflects cautious market sentiment. Meanwhile, the US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback’s value against six major currencies, trades 0.15% higher to near 100.35.
On the macro front, investors will focus on key US employment releasees this week, which will influence market expectations for the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) monetary policy outlook.
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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