The NZD / USD have struggled to benefit from a modest rebound from its year-to-date lows and is stable around 0.6725

NZD/USD held around the 0.6725 region in the early European session, although it seems to be struggling to capitalize on the intraday bounce from the current year lows. The pair once again succeeded in attracting buying near the round-figure 0.6700 mark on Tuesday and so far appears to have broken two consecutive days of losses. The strong recovery in risk sentiment globally – as evidenced by the positive rally in equity markets – is seen as a key factor in favor of the higher risk-aware kiwi. Additionally, the US dollar’s moderate price action extended additional support for the NZD/USD pair.

That said, the hawkish outlook from the Fed, coupled with a slight rise in US Treasury yields, acts as a headwind for the greenback. It should be remembered that the Fed announced last Wednesday that it will double the rate of taper to $30 billion per month. Additionally, so-called dot plots have indicated that officials expect to raise the federal funds rate at least three times over the next year. Additionally, COVID19 anxiety capped gains in the NZD/USD pair.

Investors remain concerned about the possibility of a recession due to the rapid spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant. Alternatively, a fatal blow to US President Joe Biden’s massive $1.75 trillion in social spending and the climate bill could stave off any upside moves in the market. Conversely, this warrants some caution before confirming that the NZD/USD pair has bottomed in the near term and positioning for any further upside.

Investors may also be reluctant to bet heavily amid relatively tight liquidity as the holiday season approaches and in the absence of relevant economic news. That said, US bond yields could influence the USD price dynamics and give momentum to the NZD/USD pair. Furthermore, traders will rely on the broader risk sentiment of the market to capture short-term opportunities around the main market.