Aussie Dollar Makes Gains as Risk Mood Lifts
AUD
The Aussie Dollar is mixed to start the shortened week, as Middle-Eastern tensions seeming to give some reprieve with deadlines being extended, although Trump is still threatening to ‘take out” Iranian energy infrastructure. Asian Equities were red into the close, with the ASX down -1% and the SHANGHAI COMP down -1%. The last month of Australian trade data before the Middle East conflict escalated showed the highest goods surplus since July 2025, reading 5.69B, expected at 2.81B. Today will see MI Inflation Gauge m/m, expected to show -0.2%, and ANZ Job Advertisements m/m expected at 3.2%.
USD
AUDUSD saw a whipsaw of a weekend, with the pair dropping close to the 0.6850 barrier on Thursday night, but recovered over the Easter weekend opening this morning at a rate of 0.6915. Iran officially rejected a ceasefire in favor of a permanent end to the conflict, issuing a document with 10 clauses outlining a process to do so. President Trump later responded that it was “a significant proposal” though “was not good enough", pushing his deadline even further back. Wallstreet maintained mild gains with the S&P500 and the DOW JONES up +0.4%, and the NASDAQ up +0.5%. U.S. ISM Services for March printed at 54.0, down from 56.1 and below expectations of 54.9. Within the details, there was a big jump in prices paid, new orders also beat expectations. US printed a strong employment report, with the Unemployment Rate dropping to 4.3%, expected to remain at 4.4%, Non-Farm Employment came in way over at 178k, expected at 65k. Even with these bullish prints it had a muted effect with the Iranian war claiming most of the market movement. It will be a quiet start to the week data wise with Thursday’s Core PCE Price Index m/m being the data point of the week, expected to remain at 0.4%.
EUR
The AUDEUR opens the day higher, with the pair slowly drifting higher over the weekend, opening this morning at a rate of 0.5992. Euro stocks slowed into the close, with the DAX down -0.6% and the CAC down -0.2%. It was a quiet end to the week with the French Industrial Production m/m coming in lower at +0.7%, expected at -0.1%. Tonight will see Services PMI’s to be released, expected to decrease across the board.
GBP
The AUDGBP pushes higher, with the pair getting back into the 0.52’s opening this morning at a rate of 0.5226. British Equities were strong into the close, with the FTSE closing up +0.7%. The UK had no data over the weekend, with the next major piece coming out on Tuesday, being the Final Services PMI and is looking to remain largely unchanged at 51.1
NZD
The AUDNZD opens the day higher, with the pair breaking back through the 1.21 barrier, opening this morning at a rate of 1.2106. There was no news out since Thursday, with today seeing ANZ Commodity Prices m/m to be released, previously 4.2; with eyes on tomorrow’s RBNZ Rate Statement, expected to be left at 2.25%.