The Australian dollar gained approximately 0.25% on Thursday after data indicated that U.S. economic growth was slower than anticipated, coupled with news of a potential agreement between Iran and the United States. At that moment, AUD/USD was trading at 0.7158, bouncing back from a dip to 0.7097.
AUD/USD rises as risk sentiment improves following Axios ceasefire news
The U.S. dollar weakened following the Axios report that U.S. and Iranian negotiators had come to a 60-day memorandum of understanding, which aims to extend the ceasefire and initiate discussions regarding Iran’s nuclear program. However, this agreement still needs final ratification from President Trump and senior officials from both nations.
The Dollar Index (DXY) dropped by 0.25%, settling at 98.97 against other currencies, signaling a more positive risk outlook.
In April, U.S. inflation exceeded the 3% mark, while the Fed’s favored inflation measure, the core PCE price index, increased from 3.2% to 3.3% year-on-year, driven by rising energy costs linked to the U.S.-Iran conflict. Main statistics revealed a year-on-year rise of 3.8%, up from 3.5% in March.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the growth rate of the U.S. economy for the first quarter of 2026 was lower than projections, with GDP growth revised down to 1.6% from 2.0%. Meanwhile, the Labor Department reported an uptick in new jobless claims, reaching 215,000 for the week ending May 23, surpassing expectations of 211,000.
Mixed signals emerged from the Federal Reserve. St. Louis Fed President Alberto Moussallem cautioned that interest rates might need to increase if inflation remains unchecked. Conversely, New York Fed President Williams suggested that the current policy was well situated given the overall outlook.
In Australia, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) indicated that household spending fell by 1.1% in April, which was steeper than the expected 0.4% decline.
Looking ahead, the Australian dollar is off the schedule while traders in the U.S. await comments from Federal Reserve officials prior to the upcoming blackout period.
AUD/USD Price Outlook: Technical Analysis
On the daily chart, AUD/USD is noted at 0.7168. The pair shows a moderate bullish tendency, remaining above the latest simple moving average near 0.7104, and it adheres to the anticipated support zone around 0.7133. The Relative Strength Index (14) is just above the midpoint at 51, indicating steady but not extreme upward momentum as the price stabilizes around the opening pivot of 0.7168.
On the downside, immediate support is identified near the opening pivot around 0.7168. A breach of the uptrend line near 0.7133 would emphasize broader demand ahead of support at the simple moving average of 0.7104. A deeper decline might reveal the earlier downtrend line break level around 0.6454 as a further structural bottom. On the upside, bulls will have to overcome consecutive resistance levels identified by trend line break forecasts at 0.7777 and 0.8182 to reclaim a more assertive medium-term uptrend.
Australian dollar price today
The table below shows today’s percentage change in the Australian Dollar (AUD) against major listed currencies. The Australian dollar was the strongest against the US dollar.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | australian dollar | new zealand dollar | swiss franc | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | -0.26% | -0.14% | -0.22% | -0.36% | -0.36% | -0.54% | -0.43% | |
| EUR | 0.26% | 0.11% | 0.02% | -0.10% | -0.10% | -0.26% | -0.17% | |
| GBP | 0.14% | -0.11% | -0.09% | -0.22% | -0.21% | -0.37% | -0.30% | |
| JPY | 0.22% | -0.02% | 0.09% | -0.15% | -0.14% | -0.33% | -0.21% | |
| CAD | 0.36% | 0.10% | 0.22% | 0.15% | 0.00% | -0.17% | -0.08% | |
| australian dollar | 0.36% | 0.10% | 0.21% | 0.14% | -0.01% | -0.16% | -0.08% | |
| new zealand dollar | 0.54% | 0.26% | 0.37% | 0.33% | 0.17% | 0.16% | 0.09% | |
| swiss franc | 0.43% | 0.17% | 0.30% | 0.21% | 0.08% | 0.08% | -0.09% |
The heat map shows the percentage change between major currencies. The base currency is selected from the left column and the quote currency is selected from the top row. For example, if you select Australian Dollars from the left column and move along the horizontal line to US Dollars, the percentage change displayed in the box represents AUD (Basic)/USD (Quote).
