Australian Dollar falls due to risk-off sentiment amid escalating Israel-Iran tensions
- The Australian Dollar declines due to dampened risk sentiment amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
- Israeli military officials said that Israel attacked dozens of nuclear sites across Iran.
- The US Producer Price Index rose 0.1% MoM in May, against the expectation of a 0.2% rise.
The Australian Dollar (AUD) declines against the US Dollar (USD) on Friday, with over 1% losses. The AUD/USD pair depreciates due to escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Israeli Minister of Defense Israel Katz warned his country to face a missile and drone attack following Israel's preemptive attack on Iran. Katz declared a special state of emergency in the country, per Axios. Israeli military officials said that Israel attacked dozens of sites across Iran, as the Iranian nuclear program is an existential threat to Israel.
Reuters reported that US President Donald Trump expanded steel tariffs starting June 23 on imported “steel derivative products” including household appliances, including dishwashers, washing machines, refrigerators, etc. The tariffs were initially imposed at 25% in March and later doubled to 50% for most countries. This is the second time the scope of affected products has been expanded.
Australian Dollar depreciates as US Dollar advances due to improved safe-haven demand
- The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the value of the US Dollar against six major currencies, is recovering losses and trading higher at around 98.10 at the time of writing. The US Michigan Consumer Sentiment will be eyed later on Friday.
- The US Producer Price Index (PPI) climbed 0.1% month-over-month in May, compared to a decline of 0.2% (revised from -0.5%). This reading came in softer than the expectation of a 0.2% rise. Meanwhile, the core PPI, excluding food and energy, increased 0.1% MoM in May versus -0.2% prior (revised from -0.4%), below the consensus of 0.3%.
- President Trump posted on Truth Social on Wednesday that the trade deal with China is done and added that it is subject to his and Chinese President Xi Jinping's final approval. "We are getting a total of 55% tariffs, China is getting 10%. Relationship is excellent! Thank you for your attention to this matter."
- China will grant only six-month rare-earth export licenses for US automakers and manufacturers, which suggests that China wants to have control over critical minerals as leverage in future talks, per the Wall Street Journal (gated).
- The US Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 2.4% YoY in May, slightly above 2.3% prior but below the market expectations of a 2.5% increase. The core CPI, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, climbed 2.8% YoY in May, compared to the consensus of 2.9%.
- On Wednesday, President Trump stated that he would like to extend the trade talks deadline, but doesn't think it will be necessary. Trump further stated that he will set unilateral tariff rates within two weeks.
- The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit extended an earlier, temporary respite on Tuesday for the government as it presses a challenge to a lower court ruling last month that blocked the tariffs. The federal appeals court has ruled that President Trump’s broad tariffs can remain in effect while legal appeals continue, per Bloomberg.
- China's Trade Balance (CNY) arrived at CNY743.56 billion in May, expanding from the previous surplus of CNY689.99 billion. Meanwhile, Exports rose 6.3% YoY against 9.3% in April. The country’s imports fell 2.1% YoY in the same period, from a 0.8% rise recorded previously.
- Australia’s Trade Balance posted a 5,413M surplus month-over-month in April, below the 6,100M expected and 6,892M (revised from 6,900M) in the previous reading. Exports declined by 2.4% MoM in April, against a 7.2% rise prior (revised from 7.6%). Meanwhile, Imports rose by 1.1%, compared to a decline of 2.4% (revised from -2.2%) seen in March. China’s Caixin Services PMI rose to 51.1 in May as expected, from 50.7 in April.
Australian Dollar falls toward 0.6450 near 50-day EMA
AUD/USD pair trading around 0.6460 on Friday. The daily chart’s technical analysis indicates a weakening of the bullish bias as the pair has breached below the lower boundary of the ascending channel. Additionally, the pair moving below the nine-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) suggests that short-term price momentum is weakening. However, the 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) is still positioned slightly above the 50 mark, indicating a bullish bias is in play.
On the downside, the AUD/USD pair may further test the 50-day EMA at 0.6423.
The immediate barrier appears at the nine-day EMA of 0.6495, followed by the seven-month high of 0.6538, which was reached on June 5. Further advances could prompt the pair to explore the region around the eight-month high at 0.6687, followed by the upper boundary of the ascending channel around 0.6730.
AUD/USD: Daily Chart
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 Swiss Franc.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 0.28% | 0.29% | -0.26% | 0.20% | 0.79% | 0.77% | -0.41% | |
| EUR | -0.28% | 0.06% | -0.48% | -0.01% | 0.60% | 0.48% | -0.69% | |
| GBP | -0.29% | -0.06% | -0.58% | -0.15% | 0.46% | 0.40% | -0.73% | |
| JPY | 0.26% | 0.48% | 0.58% | 0.48% | 1.05% | 1.02% | -0.16% | |
| CAD | -0.20% | 0.01% | 0.15% | -0.48% | 0.57% | 0.59% | -0.58% | |
| AUD | -0.79% | -0.60% | -0.46% | -1.05% | -0.57% | -0.04% | -1.19% | |
| NZD | -0.77% | -0.48% | -0.40% | -1.02% | -0.59% | 0.04% | -1.14% | |
| CHF | 0.41% | 0.69% | 0.73% | 0.16% | 0.58% | 1.19% | 1.14% |
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).
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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