Daily Price Outlook

Early Wednesday, AUD/USD bears took a break around mid-0.6700s, as traders awaited a speech from Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Philip Lowe. The RBA paused its rate hike trajectory and satisfied sellers the previous day by maintaining its current monetary policy with a benchmark rate of 3.60%. The Australian central bank attributed the recent decline in Australian inflation and retail sales data to justify the status quo while also acknowledging the possibility of further monetary tightening.

Russian Foreign Minister Raises Fears of Escalating Moscow-Brussels Tussle

Meanwhile, the US dollar's reserve currency status has been challenged, contributing to a risk-on mood in the market. Bloomberg reported that the Chinese yuan surpassed the US dollar as the most traded currency in Russia in February, with the gap continuing to widen in March. Brazil and China also agreed to pause the US dollar's usage as an intermediary in trade transactions. Furthermore, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov raised concerns about escalating tensions with Brussels and indicated that Moscow would deal with Europe more harshly if necessary.

US-China Tension Continues as Beijing Criticizes Meeting Between Taiwan President and US House Speaker

The ongoing US-China tension remains a topic of discussion as well. On Tuesday, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen met with US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, which drew criticism from China's Consulate General in Los Angeles.

AUD/USD Intraday Technical Levels

Support      Resistance

0.6678          0.6742

0.6640          0.6768

0.6614          0.6806

Pivot Point: 0.6704

AUD/USD – Technical Outlook

The AUDUSD pair encounters strong resistance at the 0.6780 level, currently displaying a bearish bias due to the negative impact of stochastic indicators, while awaiting positive momentum to help the price break through the aforementioned level and confirm its trajectory towards 0.6920 as the next target.

Consequently, our bullish outlook for today is contingent upon the price remaining stable above 0.6735, as breaking this level will exert pressure on the price to test the 0.6665 region before attempting another rise.

Today's expected trading range lies between the 0.6720 support and 0.6850 resistance levels.

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Daily Price Outlook

The AUD/USD is currently trading at 0.6685, having fallen by 0.49% in the last 24 hours. The currency pair experienced a drop following the release of the Reserve Bank's March meeting minutes, which revealed that officials were considering pausing interest rate increases in light of decreasing inflation and economic pressures.

RBA Minutes and AUD/USD

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) released the minutes of its March monetary policy meeting early on Tuesday morning. During the meeting, the board discussed the need to potentially pause the cycle of rate increases, but also noted that Australia's inflation remained high, the labor market was tight, and wage growth had picked up.

However, RBA officials only considered the possibility of a 25 basis point (bps) increase in rates, despite recent inflation in the Australian economy.

The minutes also revealed that policymakers were concerned about the potential for fluctuations in the monthly Consumer Price Index (CPI), which slowed from its peak of 8.4% in December.

Despite this, the RBA has not yet reached its target range for inflation and may continue to hike rates soon. However, the RBA minutes were less hawkish than expected, which led to a drop in the AUD/USD currency pair.

FOMC meeting in focus

On Tuesday, the US Dollar Index (DXY) is up by 0.12% at 103.40, following the state-backed purchase of Credit Suisse by UBS, which eased concerns about a global banking crisis. As traders cautiously move back into riskier assets, the dollar has regained some ground.

The decision of the Federal Reserve on Wednesday is the most significant market event this week. The market expects that the Fed will not raise interest rates by more than 25 basis points (bps), as their priority is to restore investors' confidence. Therefore, the dollar is struggling to maintain its upward trend in recovery.

CME Group's FedWatch tool shows that as of Tuesday, there is a roughly 75.3% chance of a 25 bps hike by the Fed. However, the remaining 24.7% are against rate hikes and believe that Chairman Jerome Powell should halt his hawkish tightening campaign in light of the rising bank failure.

If the Fed decides to keep interest rates steady to prevent the effects of rising banking stress, it could benefit the AUD/USD.

AUD/USD Intraday Technical Levels

Support      Resistance

0.6678          0.6742

0.6640          0.6768

0.6614          0.6806

Pivot Point: 0.6704

AUD/USD – Technical Outlook

The AUD/USD pair is currently trading bearishly below the 0.6665 level and is approaching its second target at 0.6550. It is moving within a bearish channel, increasing the chances of further bearish corrections, with a possible decline towards 0.6400.

The bearish trend is being supported by the EMA50, and negative momentum may be required to break through and reach the expected target.

However, if the pair manages to surpass the 0.6665 level, it could prevent the anticipated decline and initiate recovery attempts, targeting 0.6780 initially. The expected trading range for the day is between the support level of 0.6500 and the resistance level of 0.6620.

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Daily Price Outlook

The AUD/USD pair is currently trading at 0.6637, down by 0.41% within the last 24 hours. The pair has trended lower due to the USD's increased value in anticipation of the US CPI.

Westpac Consumer Sentiment

A private survey released on Tuesday revealed that consumer confidence in Australia remained unchanged from the previous month in early March. Despite this, confidence levels continued to hover around COVID-era lows due to the country's struggle with high inflation and increasing interest rates.

The Westpac-Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment index remained constant at 78.5 in March, as per a report from Westpac. While this level was still near its lowest point since March 2020, the bank noted that it was uncommon to have two consecutive months of low consumer confidence, indicating rising concerns about inflation among the general public.

In addition, consumers in Australia are expecting further interest rate hikes by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), which has already had a negative impact on the country's economy. RBA Governor Philip Lowe has indicated that the bank may pause its rate hikes as early as April if inflationary pressures ease, but some experts predict that the bank will continue to raise rates until May.

The Australian dollar initially declined as investors anticipated a slowdown in the pace of future rate hikes, but if the RBA follows through with raising rates until May, it could ultimately benefit the AUD/USD pair.

US Dollar Rebounded Ahead of US CPI

On Sunday, the Federal Reserve developed a contingency plan to mitigate the damage to the US banking system caused by Silicon Valley Bank's (SVB) collapse, reducing market risk.

Traders are eagerly anticipating the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) report on Tuesday, with some market experts revising their expectations for a 50 basis point (bps) rate hike by the Fed on March 22.

As a result, the dollar is strengthening, with the US Dollar Index (DXY) trading at 103.89, a 0.28% increase in the last 24 hours. The yield on US 10-Year Bonds has also risen to 3.564%.

A continuously rising interest rate may weaken the banking system, and high inflation rates pose a double challenge for central banks. As a result, the upcoming US Consumer Price Index (CPI) will be crucial to observe since it will further complicate the Federal Reserve's position.

Traders expect a decrease in the US CPI, which could lead to a reversal of the Fed's aggressive stance and a potential increase in the AUD/USD price.

AUD/USD Intraday Technical Levels

Support      Resistance

0.6590         0.6727

0.6517         0.6791

0.6453         0.6864

Pivot Points:0.6654

AUD/USD – Technical Outlook

The AUD/USD pair has fallen below the 0.6665 level and is currently bearish, heading towards the second target of 0.6550. It is currently trading within a bearish channel, increasing the likelihood of further bearish corrections, and a potential decline towards 0.6400.

The bearish wave continues to be supported by the EMA50, and a negative momentum may be necessary to break through and reach the expected target.

However, if the pair manages to surpass the 0.6665 level, it could prevent the anticipated decline and initiate recovery attempts, with an initial target of 0.6780. The expected trading range for the day is between the support level of 0.6500 and the resistance level of 0.6620.

Daily Price Outlook

The AUD/USD currency pair has been unable to halt its downward trend and remains offered at the 0.6600 level. It is under significant selling pressure and has dropped to its lowest point since late December, currently trading at 0.6568. There is a possibility of further declines as RBA Governor Lowe considers a break in the policy-tightening cycle.

Additionally, the AUD/USD currency pair has been under pressure due to hawkish remarks made by Federal Reserve (Fed) Chair Jerome Powell. Powell stated that strong economic data will most likely lead to higher interest rates than previously anticipated to combat inflation.

On the other hand, the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) policy statement was dovish, combined with the continued upward trend of the US Dollar, putting significant pressure on the AUD/USD pair. As a result, the Australian Dollar is currently the worst-performing G10 currency.

Feds Hawkish Stance & Bullish US Dollar

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has indicated that strong economic data will likely lead to higher interest rates to curb inflation. As a result, the market-implied probability of a 50 basis point rate hike in March has increased from 30% to 50%, according to CME Group's interest-rate futures.

Market participants expect the Federal Reserve to maintain its hawkish stance and raise interest rates for a longer period to combat persistent inflation. This is contributing to a strongly offered tone around the AUD/USD pair.

Additionally, the US dollar has risen to a three-month high against a basket of currencies, with both the dollar index and dollar index futures climbing around 0.2%, reaching their highest levels since early December.

Reopening of Chinese Economy

RBA Governor Lowe stated that the reopening of the Chinese economy is expected to have a positive impact on the Australian economy. This is due to the fact that China is one of Australia's largest trading partners, and a boost in Chinese economic activity can result in increased demand for Australian exports, such as natural gas, coal, and iron ore.

This statement was seen as a positive development that could help the AUD/USD pair recover some of its strength.

AUD/USD Intraday Technical Levels

Support      Resistance

0.6708         0.6762

0.6686         0.6792

0.6655         0.6815

Pivot Point: 0.6739

AUD/USD – Technical Outlook

The AUD/USD pair has broken below the 0.6665 level and is currently trading bearishly toward the second target of 0.6550. It is moving within a bearish channel, which increases the chances of further bearish correction and a potential decline toward 0.6400.

The EMA50 continues to provide support for the bearish wave, and negative momentum may be required to achieve the necessary break and reach the expected target.

However, if the pair manages to breach the 0.6665 level, it could stop the expected decline and initiate recovery attempts, with an initial target of 0.6780. The expected trading range for today is between 0.6500 support and 0.6620 resistance.

Daily Price Outlook

The AUD/USD is trading at 0.6713, having declined by 0.21% in the last 24 hours. The pair suffered significant losses due to China's failure to meet its GDP target and the Reserve Bank of Australia's rate announcement.

China disappointing GDP target

Over the weekend, the Chinese government announced a 5% GDP target for 2023, which is lower than the previous year's target of 5.5%. This figure was below market expectations and indicated Beijing's relatively cautious approach toward an economic recovery this year.

Despite business activity expanding at its highest rate in almost a decade in February after the removal of anti-COVID restrictions, the lower GDP target dampened hopes for a Chinese economic revival.

In addition, currencies that are sensitive to the Chinese economy, such as the Australian dollar, fell after the disappointing GDP target announcement.

RBA Rate Statement

On Tuesday, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) raised interest rates, as expected, to control inflation, reaching a 10-year high. The RBA raised the cash rate target by 25 basis points to 3.60%, and it also increased the interest rate on Exchange Settlement balances by 25 basis points to 3.50%.

RBA Governor Philip Lowe stated that Australia's inflation had likely peaked and was expected to moderate in the coming months. He added that the RBA would continue to follow a data-driven approach for future rate hikes. However, he warned that the Australian economy's path to a soft landing is narrow.

Although the RBA's decision to raise the benchmark interest rate was in line with market expectations, the lack of any hawkish surprise appears to have weighed on the AUD. As a result, the Australian dollar experienced a significant decline.

Powell testimony approaches

Today during the US session, Powell is scheduled to speak before Congress and provide insight into the timeline for the direction of interest rates. However, market participants are uncertain what tone the Fed Chair will take, given that while inflation unexpectedly jumped in January, other economic data showed that the US economy was slowing down.

If Powell takes a more hawkish stance, it will improve expectations for US interest rate action and support the Dollar. Currently, DXY is trading lower at around 104.23.

The nonfarm payrolls report for February, which will be released on Friday, is also a key focus this week. Further indications of job market strength would give the Fed more flexibility to raise rates.

AUD/USD Intraday Technical Levels

Support      Resistance

0.6708         0.6762

0.6686         0.6792

0.6655         0.6815

Pivot Point: 0.6739

AUD/USD – Technical Outlook

The AUD/USD pair has been trading sideways recently, with its stability remaining below 0.6780. It is still moving within a bearish channel on the chart, supporting our view and targeting the next level of 0.6665.

The EMA50 is also supporting this bearish trend. However, if the pair manages to break above 0.6780, it could stop the current bearish correction and lead to an attempt to regain the primary bullish trend.

The expected trading range for today is between 0.6670 support and 0.6780 resistance.

Daily Price Outlook

The AUD/USD pair is trading at $0.6743, representing an increase of 0.21% in the past 24 hours. Traders are closely analyzing the comments made by Federal Reserve officials while also waiting for China's upcoming legislative meeting to gauge the level of economic support that could be expected. Despite these factors, the Australian dollar has remained steady.

Chinese Economy and Its Impact on AUD/USD

The Chinese economy is making significant progress toward economic recovery after lifting Covid restrictions. The government and the People's Bank of China (PBoC) are committed to boosting domestic demand by implementing further stimulus and reform initiatives.

In addition, according to a report by S&P Global released on Friday, China's services sector experienced growth in February due to increasing demand. The report indicates that the Caixin Services PMI rose from 52.9 in January to 55.0 in February, showing a consecutive month-over-month improvement in activity.

It is worth noting that Australia is China's top trading partner, and an increase in China's service PMI benefits the Australian Dollar.

All eyes are now on China's annual parliamentary session, which is set to take place on Sunday. Beijing will announce new policy measures to support economic growth and targets.

RBA's Interest Rate Guidance

Despite a recent decline in Australia's Consumer Price Index (CPI), the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) remains steadfast in its hawkish outlook. RBA policymakers have not indicated that Australian inflation has peaked so the central bank will maintain a hawkish position.

A recent Reuters survey on the RBA's interest rate guidance reveals that the central bank is expected to increase its interest rate by 25 basis points (bps) to 3.60% on Tuesday, March 7.

The survey predicts that the RBA will increase its interest rate again in Q2 before pausing until next year, resulting in a higher peak rate than anticipated. Further rate hikes may support the Australian Dollar (AUD).

Dollar Under Pressure

On Thursday, Raphael Bostic, the president of the Atlanta Federal Bank, suggested that the current tightening cycle by the Federal Reserve could end by mid-summer. While he supports a 25 basis point rate hike in March, he is open to reconsidering a more hawkish outlook if inflation and labor market figures show improvement.

Bostic's comments have pressured the US Dollar Index (DXY), currently trading at 104.89. Later today, the US Institute of Supply Management (ISM) will release data on the Services PMI (Feb), potentially supporting the US Dollar.

AUD/USD Intraday Technical Levels

Support      Resistance

0.6700         0.6762

0.6672         0.6796

0.6639         0.6824

Pivot Point: 0.6734

AUD/USD – Technical Outlook

Yesterday, the AUDUSD pair traded negatively and approached the 0.6700 level. There is some bullish bias in the market due to stochastic positivity. The following support level is at 0.6665, and the pair must remain below 0.6780 to continue the projected downtrend.

The EMA50 is still supporting the bearish wave within the negative channel. Today, the trading range is expected to be between the support level of 0.6670 and the resistance level of 0.6780.