AUD/USD SLIPS BELOW 0.6700 AS DOWNBEAT AUSTRALIA INFLATION RECALL AUSSIE BEARS

AUD/USD drops 20 pips to 0.6690 as Aussie inflation disappoints during early Wednesday. In doing so, the risk barometer pair snaps two-day winning streak.

That said, Australia’s Monthly Consumer Price Index dropped to 6.8% YoY in February versus 7.2% expected and 7.4% prior.

Given the latest slump in the inflation data, the odds of witnessing another 0.25% rate hike from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) become unwelcomed and drown the AUD/USD prices, especially after the downbeat Aussie Retail Sales.

Also read: Aussie CPI misses expectationsa and AUD drops below 0.6700

Not only the data but upbeat risk profile also allow the AUD/USD pair to grind higher and print a three-day uptrend by the press time.

While tracing the key catalysts for the latest risk-on mood, receding fears of a banking crisis and hopes of less aggressive rate hikes from the top-tier central banks seem to gain the market’s attention. Also keeping the traders positive are chatters that the likely recession in some of the developed countries will be less severe than initially expected.

On the contrary, news that Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers will convene a meeting of the country's top financial regulators to check how the latest volatility in global financial markets could affect the country, an official in the treasurer's office said on Tuesday per Reuters, prod the optimism. On the same line could be the much-debated $5.4 million Credit Default Swap (CDS) trade of Deutsche Bank. Furthermore, financial market regulators from the US and Europe also showed their dislike for the market’s curbs and raised fears of late.

Amid these plays, US Treasury bond yields struggle to extend the two-day rebound but S&P 500 Futures print mild gains at the latest.

Having witnessed the initial reaction to Australia’s inflation data, AUD/USD pair traders should pay attention to the second-tier housing numbers for fresh impetus. However, more important will be the headlines surrounding the global banking sector health and easing fears of more rate hikes by the top-tier central banks.