Australia’s Consumer inflation expectations dropped to 4.1% in May from 4.6% in April, hitting the lowest point since October 2021.
FOMC Minutes suggested a lack of progress on inflation, casting doubt on the Fed’s willingness to proceed with rate cuts.
The Australian Dollar (AUD) halts its three-day losing streak on Thursday, possibly driven by the improved risk appetite. However, the Aussie Dollar came under pressure following the Consumer Inflation Expectation, released by the Melbourne Institute. Consumer expectations of future inflation over the next 12 months fell to 4.1% in May from 4.6% in April, marking the lowest level since October 2021.
Australian private sector activity remained expansionary for the fourth straight month in May. The preliminary Judo Bank Composite Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) decreased to 52.6 in May from April’s reading of 53.0, indicating a slight moderation in growth. The growth was mainly fueled by an expansion in the services sector, while the decline in manufacturing output slowed down.
The US Dollar (USD) remains strong following recent gains, as the minutes from the latest Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) policy meeting were released on Wednesday. Federal Reserve (Fed) policymakers expressed concerns about the lack of progress on inflation, which has proven to be more persistent than expected at the start of 2024. As a result, the Fed is hesitant to proceed with interest rate cuts.
Tensions are escalating following Lai Ching-te’s assumption of office as Taiwan’s new president. Chinese state media reports indicate that China has deployed numerous fighter jets and conducted simulated strikes in specific areas in the region, including actions from naval vessels.
The Judo Bank Australia Services PMI was 53.1 in May, down from April’s reading of 53.6. This marks the fourth consecutive month of expansion, albeit at a slower yet still solid pace. The Manufacturing PMI remained unchanged at 49.6 in May, indicating that manufacturing conditions continued to deteriorate for the fourth consecutive month.
The ASX 200 Index moves below 7,800 on Thursday due to declines in mining and energy stocks following a significant drop in commodity prices. Additionally, Australian shares were influenced by a weak performance on Wall Street overnight after FOMC meeting minutes suggested concerns about the slow progress on inflation.
According to the CME FedWatch Tool, the probability of the Federal Reserve implementing a 25 basis-point rate cut in September has seen a slight downtick to 50.7%, compared to 51.6% a day ago.
Federal Reserve Bank of Boston President Susan Collins spoke at the event titled “Central Banking in the Post-Pandemic Financial System” on Tuesday. Collins stated that progress toward interest rate adjustment will take longer and emphasized that patience is the right policy for the Fed, per Reuters. Fed Governor Christopher Waller stated that he needs to see several more months of favorable inflation data before he would be comfortable supporting an easing in policy.
Minutes from the RBA meeting in May 2024 showed that the board considered raising rates but ultimately judged the case for maintaining a steady policy to be stronger. Policymakers agreed that it was challenging to either rule in or rule out future changes in the cash rate. They noted that the flow of data had increased the risk of inflation remaining above the target for an extended period.
The Australian Dollar trades around 0.6620 on Thursday. The Analysis of the daily chart indicates a weakening of a bullish bias as the AUD/USD pair has breached below the lower boundary of the rising wedge. Despite this, the 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) remains slightly above the 50 level. However, a further decline in this momentum indicator could confirm a bearish bias.
The psychological support level of 0.6600 is significant. A continued decline may increase pressure on the AUD/USD pair, potentially leading it toward the throwback support region at 0.6470.
Conversely, the nine-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at 0.6639 could pose immediate resistance, followed by the major level of 0.6650. Breaking above the lower boundary of the rising wedge could reinforce the prevailing bullish bias for the AUD/USD pair.
The table below shows the percentage change of the Australian Dollar (AUD) against listed major currencies today. The Australian Dollar was the strongest against the Japanese Yen.
USD
EUR
GBP
CAD
AUD
JPY
NZD
CHF
USD
-0.05%
-0.08%
-0.09%
-0.19%
0.03%
-0.37%
-0.09%
EUR
0.05%
-0.04%
-0.02%
-0.13%
0.09%
-0.31%
-0.05%
GBP
0.08%
0.04%
0.01%
-0.10%
0.13%
-0.28%
-0.01%
CAD
0.08%
0.02%
0.00%
-0.09%
0.12%
-0.29%
-0.03%
AUD
0.19%
0.14%
0.10%
0.10%
0.22%
-0.18%
0.09%
JPY
-0.03%
-0.08%
-0.14%
-0.11%
-0.24%
-0.39%
-0.14%
NZD
0.39%
0.31%
0.27%
0.29%
0.17%
0.39%
0.28%
CHF
0.10%
0.05%
0.01%
0.02%
-0.09%
0.14%
-0.27%
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 Euro from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent EUR (base)/JPY (quote).
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) sets interest rates and manages monetary policy for Australia. Decisions are made by a board of governors at 11 meetings a year and ad hoc emergency meetings as required. The RBA’s primary mandate is to maintain price stability, which means an inflation rate of 2-3%, but also “..to contribute to the stability of the currency, full employment, and the economic prosperity and welfare of the Australian people.” Its main tool for achieving this is by raising or lowering interest rates. Relatively high interest rates will strengthen the Australian Dollar (AUD) and vice versa. Other RBA tools include quantitative easing and tightening.
While inflation had always traditionally been thought of as a negative factor for currencies since it lowers the value of money in general, the opposite has actually been the case in modern times with the relaxation of cross-border capital controls. Moderately higher inflation now tends to lead central banks to put up their interest rates, which in turn has the effect of attracting more capital inflows from global investors seeking a lucrative place to keep their money. This increases demand for the local currency, which in the case of Australia is the Aussie Dollar.
Macroeconomic data gauges the health of an economy and can have an impact on the value of its currency. Investors prefer to invest their capital in economies that are safe and growing rather than precarious and shrinking. Greater capital inflows increase the aggregate demand and value of the domestic currency. Classic indicators, such as GDP, Manufacturing and Services PMIs, employment, and consumer sentiment surveys can influence AUD. A strong economy may encourage the Reserve Bank of Australia to put up interest rates, also supporting AUD.
Quantitative Easing (QE) is a tool used in extreme situations when lowering interest rates is not enough to restore the flow of credit in the economy. QE is the process by which the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) prints Australian Dollars (AUD) for the purpose of buying assets – usually government or corporate bonds – from financial institutions, thereby providing them with much-needed liquidity. QE usually results in a weaker AUD.
Quantitative tightening (QT) is the reverse of QE. It is undertaken after QE when an economic recovery is underway and inflation starts rising. Whilst in QE the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) purchases government and corporate bonds from financial institutions to provide them with liquidity, in QT the RBA stops buying more assets, and stops reinvesting the principal maturing on the bonds it already holds. It would be positive (or bullish) for the Australian Dollar.
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