{
  "id": 2185839,
  "title": "Australian Dollar holds near highs as mixed data keeps RBA tightening bets alive",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/australian-dollar-holds-near-highs-as-mixed-data-keeps-rba-tightening",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-08-20T17:01:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "FXStreet",
    "slug": "fxstreet",
    "url": "https://www.fxstreet.com/news/australian-dollar-holds-near-highs-as-mixed-data-keeps-rba-tightening-bets-alive-202608201701"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Australian Dollar (AUD/USD) is currently trading near its multi-week highs, hovering around 0.7100 on Thursday. This upswing follows a steady rise from earlier lows, despite the US Dollar (USD) regaining some strength. The Australian employment report for the latest month revealed weaker-than-expected outcomes, suggesting a labor market cooling more rapidly than anticipated. Simultaneously, inflation expectations have risen, creating a mixed outlook for investors.\n\nThe Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) maintained its cash rate at 4.35% during its August meeting, hinting at potential rate hikes if upward inflation pressures intensify. This cautious stance has contributed to the AUD's support near its recent highs. Analysts are now closely watching Friday's United States (US) flash Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) figures, which could provide further insights into the US economy's health.\n\nTechnical analysis indicates that AUD/USD is holding above both its 20-period Simple Moving Average (SMA) at 0.7104 and the 100-period SMA at 0.7053. The horizontal support level at 0.7103 reinforces the bullish bias, while an RSI of around 58 points to mildly positive momentum. Resistance is expected at 0.7120, with further support at 0.7124 and 0.7132, which could weaken buying interest. Conversely, the 20-period SMA at 0.7104 and the horizontal support level at 0.7103 are the first points of potential respite for the currency pair.",
  "summary": "AUD/USD is trading in the 0.7100 neighborhood at the time of writing on Thursday, holding close to multi-week highs after a steady climb off its earlier lows. The pair is marginally weaker on the day as the US Dollar (USD) regains a little ground, but the broader uptrend remains intact.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}