Australian Dollar outperforms due to risk-on mood
- Australian Dollar trades higher against its peers as market sentiment remains positive.
- Pakistan denies having any information regarding the place and time of the US-Iran second round of talks.
- The Australian Unemployment Rate remains steady at 4.3% in March, as expected.
The Australian Dollar (AUD) outperforms its major currency peers, except the Canadian Dollar (CAD), during the European trading session on Thursday. The antipodean gives back its early gains against the US Dollar (USD) after posting a fresh multi-year high around 0.7200 and is marginally higher near 0.7170.
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 | 0.13% | 0.11% | -0.03% | -0.11% | -0.05% | 0.30% | 0.17% | |
| EUR | -0.13% | -0.03% | -0.15% | -0.24% | -0.18% | 0.14% | 0.03% | |
| GBP | -0.11% | 0.03% | -0.11% | -0.23% | -0.17% | 0.17% | 0.05% | |
| JPY | 0.03% | 0.15% | 0.11% | -0.10% | -0.02% | 0.27% | 0.19% | |
| CAD | 0.11% | 0.24% | 0.23% | 0.10% | 0.07% | 0.40% | 0.28% | |
| AUD | 0.05% | 0.18% | 0.17% | 0.02% | -0.07% | 0.32% | 0.24% | |
| NZD | -0.30% | -0.14% | -0.17% | -0.27% | -0.40% | -0.32% | -0.11% | |
| CHF | -0.17% | -0.03% | -0.05% | -0.19% | -0.28% | -0.24% | 0.11% |
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).
The Australian currency remains firm as the market sentiment remains favorable for riskier assets amid hopes that the United States (US) and Iran will call a permanent ceasefire soon.
S&P 500 futures extend session gains in the European trade, reflecting an improvement in investors’ risk appetite. The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback’s value against six major currencies, trades 0.1% higher to near 98.15 after recovering early losses.
On Wednesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that Washington is very much engaged in negotiations with Iran, and another round of talks is very likely to be scheduled in Pakistan, according to The Guardian.
However, Pakistan’s foreign ministry has clarified that they have no information on the venue of the second round of US-Iran talks.
On the domestic front, Australian labor market data for March have come almost in line with estimates. According to the report, the Australian economy created 17.9K new jobs, slightly lower than estimates of 20K and the previous reading of 49.7K. The Unemployment Rate remained steady at 4.3%, as expected.
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.
Nothing in this material constitutes investment advice, personal recommendation, investment research, an offer, or a solicitation to buy or sell any financial instrument. The content has been prepared without consideration of your individual investment objectives, financial situation, or needs, and should not be treated as such.
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance and/or results. Forward-looking scenarios or forecasts are not a guarantee of future performance. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated.
Mitrade makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the information provided and accepts no liability for any loss arising from reliance on such information.
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