Australia
Australian data this week has been a little mixed but the Australian dollar has now managed to hold over the 0.8000 level against the USD. On Tuesday the RBA keep interest rates on hold at 1.5% as widely expected but the accompanying statement was more hawkish than many expected and overnight price action saw the AUD break above 0.800 to an 0.8026 high. Read more

Australia
In a week of little domestic data releases, the Australian dollar has been driven by offshore moves and has drifted lower after breaking below the 0.7950 support level on Tuesday, currently sitting around 0.7900 against the US unit. Of interest is that Moody’s reiterated Australia’s AAA rating with “Australia’s very high [fiscal strength] score is driven by a moderate government debt burden relative to AAA-rated peers and low cost of debt.” The dearth of economic news has left the AUD very much swinging on the waxing and waning at the mercy of the risk-off mood over the week, but the general tone is down and it looks to be back grimly hanging on to the 0.7900 mark after a run down to the 0.7865 level overnight. Read more

Overview
Geopolitical risks continue to abate as concerns over North Korea take a back seat to the latest spate of terrorist attacks in Spain which have a more localised effect on financial markets. The markets  although still on edge, with South Korean/US war games beginning Monday, ended last week with a more risk-on tone and have begun the week with commodity currencies holding onto last week’s gains. U.S. stocks rallied on Friday from session lows — though they still ended the day down — after the White House released a statement that Steve Bannon would be leaving his job as chief strategist, capping a tumultuous week for the Trump administration. The rally that started after Trump’s election, the S&P 500 is still up 14% since early November — was launched on the belief that the president would cut regulations and lower taxes, boosting profits. But the embrace of Trump by investors and, until recently, CEOs, has always flown in the face of some of his other commerce-averse tendencies. Read more

Australia
Yesterday’s Australian July employment data was mildly positive, with unemployment steady at 5.6% although full time employment decreased by 20,000 on a seasonally adjusted basis. The Australian dollar has had a choppy couple of days ranging from 0.7806-0.7961against the USD. The employment figures pushed the AUD back over 0.7900 against the USD reaching highs in the 0.7950/60 level however it has had problems holding above the 0.7900 handle being hit overnight by the more the risk-off mood and falling equity market to drop back to 0.7880. The higher gold price has had little supportive effect. It has traded around the 0.7875/85 level for most of this morning but 0.7870 is immediate support and any break below that level will target 0.7830. Given the current risk tone we look for a test of lower levels next week. Read more