Strong Employment Surge in Australia: Is a Reversal in AUDUSD Imminent?

Australian employment increased by 64,900 in August (2,800 full-time, 62,100 part-time)
Participation hits 67%, a new high
Is a double bottom forming in AUDUSD?

The Australian jobs data on Thursday was surprisingly good, with the number of new jobs created vastly exceeding expectations, although the bulk were in part-time roles.

Participation also unexpectedly improved, hitting 67% for the first time which will be very welcomed by the central bank as it, and every other one around the world, seeks to defeat inflation while achieving a soft landing. That job will be much easier if the tightness in the labour market is eased through more people joining it, rather than people losing their jobs at higher interest rates bite.

Despite these promising figures, markets are still positioning for another possible rate hike from the RBA over the coming meetings under the new leadership of Governor Michele Bullock. One more hike between now and the middle of next year is around 40% priced in which is arguably quite high under the circumstances.

RBA Interest Rate Probability

Source – Refinitiv Eikon

The second is the potential double bottom that’s now formed during that consolidation period. With the neckline around 0.6520, a break above here could be quite a bullish move and, in theory, offer a possible price projection based on the size of the pattern. Obviously, there are no guarantees but a break of the neckline would make things interesting.

Craig Erlam

Based in London, Craig Erlam joined OANDA in 2015 as a market analyst. With many years of experience as a financial market analyst and trader, he focuses on both fundamental and technical analysis while producing macroeconomic commentary. His views have been published in the Financial Times, Reuters, The Telegraph and the International Business Times, and he also appears as a regular guest commentator on the BBC, Bloomberg TV, FOX Business and SKY News. Craig holds a full membership to the Society of Technical Analysts and is recognised as a Certified Financial Technician by the International Federation of Technical Analysts.