To start this week the Australian dollar is slowly trying to edge higher and regain some of the lost ground from late last week which saw it drop two a two week low just above 0.93. The Australian dollar enjoyed a solid surge higher reaching a new eight month high above 0.95 in the middle of last week, only to return most of its gains in very quick time to finish out last week. Over the last few weeks the Australian dollar has made repeated attempts to break through the resistance level around 0.9425, however despite its best efforts it was rejected every time as the key level continued to stand tall, even though it has allowed a small excursion in the last week to above 0.95. After the Australian dollar had enjoyed a solid surge in the first couple of weeks of June which returned it to the resistance level around 0.9425, it then fell sharply away from this level back to a one week low around 0.9330 before rallying higher yet again. Its recent surge higher to the resistance level around 0.9425 was after spending a couple of weeks at the end of May trading near and finding support at 0.9220. The 0.9220 level has repeatedly reinforced its significance as it is again likely to support price should the Australia dollar retreat further.
It was only a month or so ago the Australian dollar was placing pressure on the resistance level at 0.94 when it was able to poke through for a short period and reach a four week high in the process, however in recent times it has surpassed those levels and achieved new levels around 0.9425. Throughout April and into May the Australian dollar drifted lower from resistance just below 0.95 after reaching a six month high in that area and down to the recent key level at 0.93 before falling lower. During this similar period the 0.93 level has become very significant as it has provided stiff resistance for some time. The Australian dollar appeared to be well settled around 0.93 which has illustrated the strong resurgence it has experienced throughout this year. For the best part of February and March the Australian dollar did very little other than continue to trade around the 0.90 level, although at the beginning of March it crept a little lower down to a three week low below 0.89. Towards the end of March however, the Australian dollar surged higher strongly moving to the resistance level at 0.93 before consolidating for a week or so.
For several months either side of the New Year the Australian dollar established and traded within a narrow range roughly between 0.88 and the previous resistance level at 0.90. Back in January the Australian dollar was able to rally higher pushing through the resistance at 0.90 to a one month high near 0.91, however it quickly returned to more familiar territory below the resistance levels at 0.90 and 0.88. After showing some resilience in early December moving to a one week high above 0.9150, the AUD/USD spent the next two weeks turning around sharply and falling heavily down to a then three month low close to 0.88.
Australian firms have shrugged off the sharp slide in consumer sentiment since the federal budget, with business confidence increasing in the past month. The closely-watched National Australia Bank monthly business survey shows sentiment improved in June despite fears the budget will see consumers reluctant to open their wallets. Consumer sentiment dived to its lowest level in three years in the wake of the May budget but businesses have remained relatively upbeat. The NAB survey shows business sentiment lifted one point to an index level of eight; a reading above zero indicates optimists outnumber pessimists. Meanwhile, Business conditions moved into positive territory during June, lifting three points to an index level of two during the month, according to the survey. The rise in sentiment coincided with a sharp lift in job advertisements, with ANZ's job ads survey on Monday showing a 4.3 per cent increase in ads during June.
AUD/USD July 9 at 00:10 GMT 0.9408 H: 0.9408 L: 0.9397
AUD/USD Technical
| S3 | S2 | S1 | R1 | R2 | R3 |
| 0.9220 | 0.9100 | --- | 0.9425 | 0.9500 | --- |
During the early hours of the Asian trading session on Wednesday, the AUD/USD is trading within a narrow range right around 0.9400 after slowly edging higher up from its lows around 0.9340, which has happened since falling back from its new eight month high above 0.95 late last week. The Australian dollar was in a free-fall for a lot of last year falling close to 20 cents and it has done very well to recover slightly to well above 0.95 again. Current range: trading right around 0.9400.
Further levels in both directions:
• Below: 0.9220 and 0.9100.
• Above: 0.9425 and 0.9500.
OANDA's Open Position Ratios
(Shows the ratio of long vs. short positions held for the AUD/USD among all OANDA clients. The left percentage (blue) shows long positions; the right percentage (orange) shows short positions.)
The long position ratio for the AUD/USD has moved back above the 50% level as the Australian dollar has fallen back from the eight month high around 0.95. The trader sentiment changes to in favour of long positions.
Economic Releases
- 00:30 AU Westpac Consumer Confidence (Jul)
- 00:50 JP M2 Money Supply (Jun)
- 12:15 CA Housing starts (Jun)
- 18:00 US Fed releases minutes from prior (Jun 17-18) FOMC meeting