Australia, NZ dlrs off multi-wk highs on geopolitical risks

By Swati Pandey and Charlotte Greenfield

SYDNEY/WELLINGTON, April 11 (Reuters) – The Australian and New Zealand dollars came off multi-week highs on Wednesday as risk appetite took a knock on worries the United States and its western allies were planning a military strike on Syria.

The market is nervous any action by the United States could provoke a response from Russia which opposes any Western strike on its close ally Syria. Australian dollar AUD=D4 slipped 0.2 percent to $0.7747 from a three-week high of $0.7770 touched earlier in the day.

The New Zealand dollar eased 0.1 percent to $0.7355 after climbing to $0.7376, the highest since Feb. 21.

The antipodean currencies gained overnight on signs of trade rapproachement between the United States and China, although there were still jitters over progress of tariff negotiations. serious escalation of trade tensions would “damage” the Australian economy, the country’s top central banker said on Wednesday. Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Philip Lowe said the main uncertainty around the country’s economic outlook lay in the “international arena,” highlighting the specre of a trade war.

He reiterated the need for interest rates to remain at record lows as policymakers await a pick-up in economic activity and inflation. The RBA has left rates at 1.50 percent after last easing in August 2016, the longest stretch of stable rates on record.

Across the Tasman Sea, Reserve Bank of New Zealand assistant governor John McDermott is due to give a speech on inflation targeting on Thursday.

New Zealand government bonds 0#NZTSY= eased, sending yields 1 basis point higher towards the end of the curve.

Australian government bond futures were mixed, with the three-year bond contract YTTc1 down half a tick at 97.815. The 10-year contract YTCc1 edged up 2 ticks to 97.305. (Editing by Shri Navaratnam)

Disclaimer:
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. All CFDs (stocks, indexes, futures) and Forex prices are not provided by exchanges but rather by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual market price, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Therefore Fusion Media doesn`t bear any responsibility for any trading losses you might incur as a result of using this data.

Fusion Media or anyone involved with Fusion Media will not accept any liability for loss or damage as a result of reliance on the information including data, quotes, charts and buy/sell signals contained within this website. Please be fully informed regarding the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, it is one of the riskiest investment forms possible.