The Australian Dollar (AUD) began the week on a weaker note, with the AUD/USD pair sliding below the critical 0.6500 psychological level during the Asian session on Monday. This marked the end of a three-day winning streak, as the greenback strengthened, supported by a confluence of factors that continue to weigh on the Aussie.
The most immediate catalyst for the AUD’s weakness was a solid pickup in demand for the US Dollar (USD), which saw increased flows as traders adjusted their expectations regarding the Federal Reserve's rate policy. As the market recalibrated its outlook on future interest rate cuts by the Fed, the anticipation of a slower pace of easing lifted US Treasury bond yields. This, in turn, provided significant support to the USD, with investors flocking to the safe-haven currency.
The increasing divergence between US monetary policy and the more dovish stance of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is further straining the AUD. While the RBA has maintained a hawkish tilt in its rhetoric, concerns about the global economy and persistent geopolitical risks have overshadowed any support this might have offered the Aussie. In particular, the ongoing uncertainty around the US-China trade relations, especially as fears of a second wave of the trade war have resurfaced, continue to pressure the AUD, a currency often viewed as a proxy for China’s economic health.
With President-elect Donald Trump’s post-election promises to levy significant tariffs on key trading partners, including China, the market is bracing for potential disruptions in trade that could hurt Australia’s export-driven economy. Trump’s aggressive trade stance, which includes threats of a 100% tariff on BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) should they replace the USD in international transactions, has amplified the risks for the AUD.
Beyond trade war concerns, persistent geopolitical tensions, particularly the protracted Russia-Ukraine war, are also contributing to USD strength. As these risks continue to loom over the global economy, demand for the US Dollar has seen a revival. This helped the USD recover from a nearly three-week low last Friday, further cementing its safe-haven status amid broader market uncertainty.
The uptick in US Treasury bond yields has been particularly important in shaping the direction of the AUD/USD pair. With the market pricing in the potential for a slower pace of rate cuts from the Federal Reserve, US bond yields have started to climb again, making the greenback more attractive to investors seeking higher returns. These rising yields, combined with broader concerns over global trade tensions, have kept the USD well-supported and the AUD under pressure.
Over the weekend, China’s official Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) showed a slight improvement, rising to 50.3 in November from 50.1 in October. However, the NBS Non-Manufacturing PMI eased to 50.0, suggesting that the services sector in China is losing momentum. Despite this, the Caixin Manufacturing PMI for November saw a significant jump, climbing to 51.5 from 50.3, indicating that private-sector activity is showing more resilience.
While there is hope in the market that the Chinese government will introduce additional stimulus to support domestic demand, these data points have done little to sway investors. The response in the AUD has been tepid, reflecting broader concerns about the Australian economy’s exposure to the fallout from a potential US-China trade war. With the Chinese economy showing signs of slowing down and uncertainties surrounding future stimulus measures, the outlook for the AUD remains bleak.
Technical Analysis From a technical standpoint, the AUD/USD pair has encountered resistance at the upper boundary of a bearish channel. This has triggered a rebound that suggests a resumption of the recent downtrend that has been in place for the past two months. The pair is expected to continue lower in the short-term, with key support levels at 0.6440 and 0.6355.
The bearish trend is expected to dominate the short-term outlook, unless the pair manages to break above the 0.6530 resistance level, which could prompt a bullish correction. However, given the prevailing fundamental backdrop—strong USD demand, geopolitical risks, and global economic uncertainties—the downside risks appear to outweigh any potential bullish correction.
The trading range for today is seen between 0.6440 support and 0.6540 resistance, with the primary bias remaining bearish.
TRADE RECOMMENDATION
SELL AUDUSD
ENTRY PRICE: 0.6490
STOP LOSS: 0.6560
TAKE PROFIT: 0.6355