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AUD/USD Consolidates above 0.7200, highest since June 2022 ahead of RBA

  • AUD/USD is seen consolidating its recent strong gains amid a combination of diverging forces.
  • Hawkish RBA bets continue to underpin the Aussie, while rising US-Iran tensions cap the upside.
  • Bulls also seem hesitant and await the crucial RBA rate decision on Tuesday for a fresh impetus.

The AUD/USD pair enters a bullish consolidation phase at the start of a new week and holds steady above the 0.7200 mark, near its highest level since June 2022, touched on Friday. Bets that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) will hike interestย ratesย at the upcoming policy meeting on Tuesday continue to underpin the Aussie. However, rising US-Iran tensions benefit the safe-haven US Dollar (USD) and act as a headwind for spot prices ahead of the key central bank event.

Against the backdrop of the recent bounce from the 100-period Exponential Moving Average (EMA) on the 4-hour chart, Friday’s breakout and close above the 0.7200 horizontal barrier were seen as a key trigger for the AUD/USD bulls. Moreover, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) around 62 suggests firm positive momentum without yet entering overbought territory. Adding to this, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) histogram remains slightly positive, hinting that upside pressure is intact.

The technical setup backs the case for an extension of theย AUD/USDย pair’s recent move higher from the late-March swing low. Hence, any corrective pullback is more likely to attract buyers and remain limited in the near term. The 100-period EMA around 0.7137 might continue to offer immediate support, which, if broken decisively, would signal fading bullish control and open the way for a deeper correction.

(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool.)

AUD/USD 4-hour chart

Chart Analysis AUD/USD
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AUD/USD Price Forecast: Remains bullish despite hovering around 0.7200

  • AUD/USD trades near range highs within 0.7100โ€“0.7200 consolidation band.
  • RSI above 50 supports bullish momentum and potential breakout scenario.
  • Break above 0.7250 targets 0.7282 and 0.7300 resistance levels.

AUD/USDย holds to minimal gains of 0.10% late in the North American session, yet poised to finish the week up 0.84%. At the time of writing, the pair trades above 0.7200 as the โ€˜bullish engulfingโ€™ chart pattern caps the Aussie on the downside.

AUD/USD Price Forecast: Technical outlook

From a technical perspective, the AUD/USD trades near the top of a 100-pip consolidation range between 0.7100 and 0.7200, with traders awaiting fresh catalysts. Momentum is bullish as depicted by the Relative Strength Index (RSI) sitting above its neutral level.

On the upside, the first resistance for AUD/USD is the psychological 0.7250 level. If cleared, the next stop would be the June 3, 2022, high of 0.7282 ahead of the 0.7300 area. The next area of interest would be on April 5, 2022, at 0.7661

Conversely, if AUD/USD ends the day below 0.7200, it could open the door for testing the 20-day SMA at 0.7121. Below this level is 0.7100 โ”€the bottom of the 100-pip rangeโ”€, followed by the 50-day SMA at 0.7059

AUD/USD Price Chart โ€“ Daily

AUD/USD daily chart
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AUD/USD holds steady near recent highs ahead of expected RBA rate hike

  • AUD/USD trades near 0.7200, holding steady despite volatility linked to geopolitical risks.
  • Investors largely expect a rate hike from the Australian central bank next week.
  • The US Dollar remains broadly under pressure, limiting downside in the pair.

AUD/USDย trades around 0.7200 on Friday at the time of writing, virtually unchanged on the day and holding near recent highs, as markets adopt a wait-and-see approach ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) monetary policy decision scheduled for Tuesday.

The Australian Dollar (AUD) remains slightly supported against its major peers, with investors expecting this key event. According to a Reuters poll, a strong majority of economists expect a 25 basis point rate hike, which would bring the policy rate to 4.35%. These expectations are supported by persistent inflationary pressures in Australia, with the annual Consumer Price Index (CPI) coming in at 4.6% YoY in March, still well above the central bankโ€™s target.

Market participants will also closely watch Governor Michele Bullockโ€™s comments for further guidance on the policyย outlook, particularly as energy-related risks linked to tensions in the Middle East and uncertainty surrounding the Strait of Hormuz could continue to fuel inflationary pressures.

At the same time, the US Dollar (USD) is struggling to gain traction despite a geopolitical backdrop that usually supports safe-haven demand. Markets expect theย Federal Reserveย (Fed) to keep interestย ratesย unchanged through the end of the year, although some officials, including Neel Kashkari, have highlighted the possibility of further hikes in the event of a significant inflationary shock driven by energy prices.

Geopolitical tensions still provide intermittent support to the Greenback, particularly following reports that the US administration is considering military options regarding Iran. Meanwhile, diplomatic developments suggesting that Tehran has submitted a new proposal to the United States (US) on Thursday have temporarily weighed on the US Dollar.

Investors now turn their attention to the release of the US ISM Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) later in the day, a key indicator for assessing economic momentum.

US Dollar Price Today

The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies today. US Dollar was the strongest against the New Zealand Dollar.

USDEURGBPJPYCADAUDNZDCHF
USD-0.25%-0.22%-0.02%-0.14%-0.03%0.15%-0.20%
EUR0.25%0.02%0.22%0.08%0.22%0.38%0.05%
GBP0.22%-0.02%0.19%0.08%0.19%0.36%0.05%
JPY0.02%-0.22%-0.19%-0.11%-0.01%0.14%-0.16%
CAD0.14%-0.08%-0.08%0.11%0.10%0.28%-0.03%
AUD0.03%-0.22%-0.19%0.00%-0.10%0.16%-0.12%
NZD-0.15%-0.38%-0.36%-0.14%-0.28%-0.16%-0.31%
CHF0.20%-0.05%-0.05%0.16%0.03%0.12%0.31%

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 US Dollar from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent USD (base)/JPY (quote).

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AUD/JPY Price Gains ground, maintaining bullish bias above 100-day EMA

  • AUD/JPY edges higher to around 113.10 in Fridayโ€™s early European session.ย 
  • The cross keeps a positive tone above the 100-day EMA, with the RSI pointing to neutral but slightly positive momentum.ย 
  • The immediate resistance level emerges at 113.30; the initial support level to watch is 111.10.ย 

The AUD/JPY cross holds positive ground near 113.10 during the early European session on Friday. The cross remains firm after pulling back from a multi-decade high of 114.72. However, the potential upside for AUD/JPY might be limited amid intervention fears. 

Atsushi Mimura, Japanโ€™s Vice Finance Minister for International Affairs and top foreign exchange official, on Friday declined to confirm the Japanese Yen (JPY) intervention directly but delivered a pointed warning to speculators, noting that Japan’s Golden Week holidays have just started and that there is no change to his view that market moves remain speculative in nature. 

On the other hand, a hawkish stance from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) could underpin the Aussie. Australian headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation climbed to 4.6% YoY in March, primarily due to fuel price shocks linked to ongoing Middle East conflicts. While the figure was slightly below the 4.7% forecast, it remains well above the Reserve Bank of Australiaโ€™s (RBA) target range, keeping pressure on the central bank to hikeย rates.ย 

Chart Analysis AUD/JPY

Technical Analysis:

In the daily chart, AUD/JPY keeps a constructive bullish bias as it holds above the 100-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) and the lower Bollinger Band. Price is testing the Bollinger 20-day simple moving average (SMA) pivot at 113.30, suggesting ongoing upside interest after the recent pullback, while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) around 52 points to neutral but slightly positive momentum rather than overbought conditions.

On the topside, a sustained break above the Bollinger mid-line at 113.30 would open the way toward the April 28 high of 114.72, en route to the upper Bollinger Band of 115.45. On the downside, initial demand is seen at the lower Bollinger Band near 111.10, ahead of stronger, medium-term support at the 100-day EMA around 109.30, where buyers would be expected to re-emerge if a deeper correction unfolds.

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Currency Talk – EUR/GBP, EUR/AUD, AUD/USD

Key takeaways

  • What is the technical outlook for EURGBP, EURAUD, and AUDUSD?

The Overbalance analysis aims to identify three financial instruments, analyzed primarily on the daily/four-hour (D1/H4) timeframe. The analysis uses only the Overbalance methodology, which helps determine where a trend may continue or where it may reverse. Todayโ€™s analysis covers three instruments, evaluated solely in terms of 1:1 correction structures. EURGBP From March 20 through the end of the month, EURGBP traded in an uptrend, but the subsequent correction turned into a stronger downtrend. After the 1:1 upward pattern was negated at the 0.8693 level, the declines accelerated. Currently, the 0.8693โ€“0.8688 zone represents key resistance. Only a return of the price above this zone could shift the balance of power on the chart. For now, the base scenario remains a decline toward the lows at 0.8617.

EURGBP – H4 timeframe. Source: xStation EURAUD From March 11 through the end of the month, the EURAUD pair was in an uptrend; however, the largest corrective pattern was subsequently negated at the 1.6680 level, which was then tested from the opposite side. Since then, we have observed the development of a downtrend. The largest current corrective pattern (marked in red) defines a key resistance level at 1.6470. According to the Overbalance methodology, as long as the price remains below this level, the downtrend remains in effect.

EURAUD – H4 timeframe. Source: xStation AUDUSD Since late March, the AUDUSD pair has been in an uptrend. Recently, the exchange rate has twice tested support at the 0.7015 level, which corresponds to the lower boundary of the 1:1 pattern. As long as this level holds, the uptrend remains intact. It is worth noting, however, that another test of this zone could weaken it, increasing the risk of it being broken and thus triggering a larger downward correction.

AUDUSD – H4 chart. Source: xStation

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AUD/USD – Bullish USD to cap recovery from 0.7100/two-week low

  • AUD/USD stages a modest recovery from a two-week low, around 0.7100, touched on Wednesday.
  • The Fedโ€™s hawkish tilt and Iran tensions continue to underpin the USD, warranting caution for bulls.
  • The technical setup suggests that any further move up is likely to be sold into and remain capped.

Theย AUD/USDย pair gains some positive traction during the Asian session on Thursday and recovers a part of the previous day’s heavy losses to the 0.7100 mark, or a two-week low.

Expectations that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) will stick to its hawkish stance counter China’s mixed official PMIs and turn out to be a key factor offering some support to the Australian Dollar (AUD). The US Dollar (USD), on the other hand, sticks to its positive tone near the highest level since April 13 on the back of persistent geopolitical uncertainties stemming from stalled US-Iran peace talks. Furthermore, diminishing odds for any further policy easing by the US Federal Reserve (Fed) underpin the USD and should cap the upside for the AUD/USD pair.

From a technical perspective, spot prices have repeatedly failed to find acceptance above the 0.7200 mark and have oscillated in a range over the past two weeks or so. Meanwhile, the overnight slide confirms a breakdown below the 0.7130-0.7125 confluence โ€“ comprising the 100-period Simple Moving Average (SMA) on the 4-hour chart and the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement level of the recent recovery from the year-to-date low touched in March. This, in turn, favors the AUD/USD bears, suggesting that the move higher might now be seen as a selling opportunity.

Moreover, the Relative Strength Index (RSI) holds around 40 and hints at modest bearish momentum. Meanwhile, the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) is in negative territory but flattening, suggesting downside pressure is softening rather than accelerating.

In the meantime, immediate resistance emerges at the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement at 0.7131, with a stronger barrier at the recent cycle high near 0.7223. On the downside, initial support aligns with the 0.7100 mark ahead of the 38.2% retracement at 0.7074. This is followed by the 50.0% level at 0.7027 and deeper supports at the 61.8% and 78.6% retracements at 0.6981 and 0.6915, respectively, where buyers would likely attempt to slow any extended pullback.

(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool.)

AUD/USD 4-hour chart

Chart Analysis AUD/USD

US Dollar Price Today

The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies today. US Dollar was the strongest against the Euro.

USDEURGBPJPYCADAUDNZDCHF
USD0.11%0.00%0.00%-0.04%-0.11%-0.08%-0.01%
EUR-0.11%-0.07%-0.13%-0.16%-0.21%-0.17%-0.10%
GBP-0.01%0.07%-0.02%-0.08%-0.12%-0.09%-0.02%
JPY0.00%0.13%0.02%-0.06%-0.11%-0.13%-0.04%
CAD0.04%0.16%0.08%0.06%-0.08%-0.06%0.04%
AUD0.11%0.21%0.12%0.11%0.08%0.04%0.12%
NZD0.08%0.17%0.09%0.13%0.06%-0.04%0.08%
CHF0.00%0.10%0.02%0.04%-0.04%-0.12%-0.08%

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 US Dollar from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent USD (base)/JPY (quote)

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AUD/USD slides as US Dollar gains on geopolitical tensions ahead of Fed decision

  • AUD/USD weakens as softer Australian CPI and a firm US Dollar pressure the Aussie.
  • US-Iran tensions remain elevated as peace talks stall and supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz persist.
  • Markets await the Federal Reserveโ€™s monetary policy announcement.

The Australian Dollar (AUD) edges lower against the US Dollar (USD) on Wednesday, weighed by softer-than-expected Australian inflation data, while fading hopes that the US-Iran war will end anytime soon support the Greenback.

At the time of writing,ย AUD/USDย is trading around 0.7139, down nearly 0.60% on the day. Meanwhile, the US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenbackโ€™s value against a basket of six major currencies, is trading around 98.78, up about 0.15%.

Market sentiment weakens after Reuters reported that US President Donald Trump and oil companies discussed plans to maintain the Iran blockade for months if needed, citing a White House official. Trump also warned that โ€œIran canโ€™t get their act together. They donโ€™t know how to sign a nonnuclear deal. They better get smart soon,โ€ he wrote on Truth Social. The comments follow US skepticism over Iranโ€™s proposal to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz while delaying nuclear talks.

Looking ahead, attention turns to the Federal Reserveโ€™s (Fed) monetary policy decision due at 18:00 GMT. Markets widely expect the central bank to keep interestย ratesย unchanged in the 3.50%-3.75% range as policymakers assess the impact of rising energy prices on inflation, driven by ongoing supply disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Inflation continues to run above the Fedโ€™s 2% target, with rising Oil prices increasing upside risks. This has dampened expectations for near-term rate cuts, reinforcing a higher-for-longer policyย outlook. Markets will therefore focus on guidance fromย Fedย Chair Jerome Powell.

A hawkish tone could further support the US Dollar, while any signal that theย Fedย remains open to rate cuts later this year may limit the Greenbackโ€™s upside. However, downside in the US Dollar is likely to remain limited amid persistent geopolitical uncertainty.

Although the Reserve Bank of Australiaโ€™s (RBA) hawkish outlook continues to provide underlying support for the Aussie, the latest inflation data showed Consumer Price Index (CPI) rising to 4.6% in March from 3.7% in February, but still below expectations of 4.7%.

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Aussie Holds Firm on Hot CPI Print

The Australian dollar edged down to below $0.72, but stayed near four-year highs as a sharp rise in inflation kept expectations of a rate hike next week. Headline inflation jumped to 4.6% annually in March, slightly below forecasts of 4.7%, but stayed above the Reserve Bankโ€™s 2โ€“3% target and marked the highest since monthly CPI data began in 2025.

The annual trimmed-mean measure held at 3.3%, in line with expectations as higher fuel costs stemming from Middle East supply disruptions added to already elevated price pressures. In the absence of a major upside inflation surprise, the Aussie attracted some sellers amid cautious risk sentiment due to persistent geopolitical uncertainties. Still, markets priced in increased odds of a 25 bp rate hike next week. In the US and other G-7 economies, policymakers are likely to hold rates steady this week while monitoring the risk of rising energy costs fueling inflation, as the Strait of Hormuz remained effectively closed amid US-Iran tensions.