Australia, NZ dollars hover near 1-month highs as Fed cut hopes grow
SYDNEY, Aug 20 (Reuters) -The Australian and New Zealand dollars hovered near their one-month highs on Tuesday, supported by expectations the U.S. is almost certain to cut interest rates next month, while a slump in iron ore prices steadied for now.
There was little reaction to the minutes from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) that reiterated a near-term rate cut was unlikely, although it did note the prevailing uncertainties about the economic outlook and highlight the importance of incoming data.
The Aussie AUD=D3 slipped 0.2% to $0.6718, having climbed 0.9% overnight to close at the highest level in a month. It now faces resistance at July peak of $0.6799, while support is at the 200-day moving average of $0.6577.
The kiwi dollar NZD=D3 was flat at $0.6117, after it jumped 1.1% overnight to as far as $0.6118, also the highest in a month. It broke a major resistance level at $0.6084, with the next bull target at $0.6150.
The two are buoyed by a pullback in the U.S. dollar as the Federal Reserve is viewed as almost certain to cut rates in September. Chair Jerome Powell is speaking in Jackson Hole on Friday and investors assume he will acknowledge the case for a cut.
"The signs are subtle, but bearish dollar momentum is starting to build," said Chris Turner, head of FX strategy at ING.
"While some may be arguing that the dollar does not need to sell off much further, since a Fed easing cycle to 3.00/3.25% is already priced, we would suggest caution in that the Fed cycle has not even started yet and any softer US data could mean Fed rates start to get priced at accommodative and not just neutral."
Expectations the RBA would be slow to cut rates, with just 89 basis points of easing priced in by the end of 2025, have supported the local dollar. The Fed, in contrast, is forecast to cut 94 bps just by the end of the year. 0#RBAWATCH, FEDWATCH
Prices for iron ore, Australia's biggest export, climbed for a second day after a 9% tumble last week, also good news for the commodity currency, although the correlation between the two has faded recently.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia is sticking with the call for a rate cut from the RBA in November, betting the slowdown in core inflation and an uptick in the unemployment rate will make a cut likely.
"The risk to our call is that even if our near term forecasts for inflation and unemployment come to fruition, the Board does not feel comfortable commencing an easing cycle until it has seen more economic data," said Gareth Aird, CBA's head of Australia economics.
Reporting by Stella Qiu; Editing by Jamie Freed
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