Australian Dollar Strengthens on Hawkish RBA Comments; Risks Remain Amid US-China Tensions

The Australian Dollar (AUD) extended its rally for a third consecutive session on Friday, buoyed by hawkish remarks from Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Michele Bullock. However, the AUD/USD pair may encounter headwinds as the United States prepares to introduce new measures on Monday to limit China’s progress in artificial intelligence technology.

RBA’s Hawkish Stance and Revised Rate Forecasts
RBA Governor Bullock reiterated that core inflation in Australia remains “too high” to justify any near-term rate cuts, emphasizing that inflation is unlikely to sustainably return to the central bank’s target range before 2026. This hawkish tone prompted ANZ to revise its forecast, now predicting the RBA will delay interest rate cuts until May rather than February, following concerns over inflation staying elevated for the next two years.

Bullock’s comments underscore the RBA’s cautious approach, with Bloomberg reporting her focus on ensuring sustained progress in curbing inflation before any policy loosening.

US Dollar Outlook and Fed’s Vigilance
While the US Dollar (USD) has softened recently, its downside may be capped by the Federal Reserve’s cautious stance. Strong consumer spending data released on Wednesday highlighted resilient demand in October, but limited progress in reducing inflation could keep the Fed vigilant, delaying rate cuts.

Technical Analysis: AUD/USD Faces Bearish Momentum
The AUD/USD pair is trading near the 0.6500 mark on Friday, showing signs of bearish momentum. The pair remains within a descending channel, with the 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) below 50, indicating continued negative sentiment.

• Support Levels: Immediate support is at the recent four-month low of 0.6434, marked on November 26. A breach of this level could lead to a test of the yearly low at 0.6348, last seen on August 5, with additional support near 0.6300 at the channel’s lower boundary.
• Resistance Levels: Resistance lies at the nine-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) of 0.6502, followed by the 14-day EMA at 0.6513. A breakout above these could target the channel’s upper boundary at 0.6530 and potentially the four-week high of 0.6687.

Key Risks Ahead
The AUD’s outlook remains vulnerable to geopolitical and economic developments, particularly the US measures targeting China. These actions could escalate trade tensions, impacting the risk-sensitive Australian Dollar. Traders will also closely monitor updates on US monetary policy and global risk sentiment for further cues.