AUD/USD

While AUD/USD has yet to break the downtrend running from early 2022, the reprieve against the dollar has it looking more constructive against the crosses, especially the euro and Japanese yen having broken key levels on the weekly charts.

AUD/USD was the strongest performer among the Aussie pairs we track in November. A combination of hawkish RBA alongside bets of Fed cuts in 2024 played nicely with our long bias. What will December bring?

Chinese economic activity is nearing stall speed with the government’s purchasing managers indexes (PMIs) falling further in November, surprising markets to the downside for a second consecutive month.

The US PCE inflation report is arguably the event of the week, and with traders having vigorously sold the US dollar ahead of it I am left wondering if it is a case of ‘sell the rumour, buy the fact’ – especially if it comes on hot. And with AUD/USD and gold stalling around key levels on Wednesday, the potential for mean reversion seems apparent.

Headline Australian CPI undershot market expectations in October, although progress on taming underlying price pressures was disappointing, helping to boost AUD/USD.

With USD/CNH and USD/JPY probing key support levels, we may require a break of them for AUD/USD to stand a chance of continuing its strong rally (which met strong resistance on Tuesday). Unless of course Australia is treated to an uncomfortably hot inflation report today, which could fan fears of another RBA hike.

Two milestones were set on Monday for two key Australian markets, which saw AUD/USD close above its 200-day average for the first time in four months and the ASX 200 close below 7,000.

A softer US dollar has helped AUD/USD and gold push towards key technical levels, suggesting the near-term price performance may determine their longer-term trajectory as we head towards 2024.

Australian employment growth continued to motor in September, keeping alive the prospect of a further interest rate hike from the Reserve Bank of Australia early in the new year.

Whilst AUD/USD failed to hold onto its breakout gains seen on Wednesday, it may stand a better chance today if employment data is punchy enough. And crude oil bears have returned from their short hiatus to drive prices lower from $80 resistance.

AUD/USD is widely regarded as being a proxy for all things China: it’s economic performance, trends in financial markets and even the Chinese currency, the yuan.

Hopes that the Fed have reached their terminal rate were revived with a softer-than-expected US inflation report. Earlier comments from Fed officials (namely Powell) had rekindled concerns that the Fed may have another hike up their sleeve, yet with CPI and core CPI reads all undershooting consensus estimates, risk-on returned in a big way.

Large speculators increased their gross-long exposure to AUD/USD futures by 17.1% and trimmed shorts by -2.9% on the day of the RBA’s last hike. And this could be a significant development when you consider net-short exposure recently hit a record level of bearishness just six weeks ago, yet prices defied bears with a sustainable break beneath 63c.

WTI crude oil rose for a second day after the monthly OPEC report played down demand concerns and blamed speculators for oil's recent decline. A move to $80 at a minimum or $83 could now be on the cards. We also have a near-term bullish bias on the ASX 200.

The S&P 500 continues to defy gravity and appears on the cup of breaking above a key resistance level. And whilst AUD/USD fell for five days last week, it is fast approaching a key support level that has been favourable to dip buyers in recent times.

AUD/USD and gold have struggled in November, giving back some of the gains achieved in late October. With both sitting near key levels, we look at the prospects for a bounce or extension of the pullback in the days ahead.

WTI fell over 4% to a 4-month low on Tuesday after slicing through $80. AUD/USD was also the weakest FX major after the RBA's statement lacked the level of hawkishness traders were seemingly positioned for.