NZD/USD slides to over two week low, below mid0.6700s amid stronger USD/risk off

The NZD/USD pair endured dropping floor via the early European consultation and dropped to over a two-week low, under mid-0.6700s within side the ultimate hour. The pair prolonged the preceding day`s retracement slide from the 0.6835-forty place and witnessed heavy promoting all through the primary 1/2 of of the buying and selling on Thursday. The US greenback became again in call for following the discharge of especially hawkish FOMC assembly mins on Wednesday. Apart from this, the risk-off impulse in addition benefitted the safe-haven dollar and drove flows far from the perceived riskier kiwi. The December 14-15 FOMC financial coverage assembly mins pointed to a faster-than-predicted upward thrust in hobby rates. Moreover, a few Fed officers additionally notion that it’d be suitable to provoke stability sheet runoff in some unspecified time in the future after the primary increase. This underscored a massive shift with within the policymakers’ tone, which, in turn, became visible as a key thing that endured appearing as a tailwind for the USD.

Meanwhile, the market was quick to assess an approximately 80% chance of a 25bp Fed hike in March 2022. This was reflected in the prolonged sell-off in the US bond market, pushing up government bond yields Long-term US – 10 and 30 years – to their highest levels since October. In addition, concerns about the rapid spread of the Omicron variant have sparked a new wave of risk-averse global trading.

A combination of factors put a lot of pressure on the NZD/USD pair, resulting in a few short-term trading stops placed near the 0.6800 round figures. Therefore, a further drop to the 2021 tough low, around the 0.6700 mark reached on December 15, now looks a clear possibility. The negative outlook is reinforced by bearish technical indicators, which are still far from being in oversold territory.

Market players are now eagerly awaiting the US economic records, highlighting publications from the usual Weekly Initial Jobless Notice and ISM Services PMI. This, coupled with US bond yields and the broader market risk sentiment, should weigh on the USD price dynamics and give fresh impetus to the NZD/USD pair. However, the main focus will remain on the release of the US Monthly Employment Report (NFP) on Friday.