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- AUD/USD holds gains near 0.7180 in Thursday’s Asian session.
- Australia’s Unemployment Rate steadied at 4.3% in March, in line with the consensus.
- Traders will closely monitor geopolitical developments in the Middle East.
The AUD/USD pair holds positive ground around 0.7180 during the Asian trading hours on Thursday. The Australian Dollar (AUD) strengthens against the Greenback amid mixed economic data from Australian and Chinese dockets.
Data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Thursday showed that Unemployment Rate held steady at 4.3% in March. The figure came in line with the market consensus. Additionally, the Australian Employment Change arrived at 17.9K in March. This reading followed 49.7K in February (revised from 48.9K), missing the forecast of 20K.
On the Chinese front, the annual March Retail Sales increased by 1.7% versus 2.3% expected and 2.8% prior, while Industrial Production came in at 5.7% versus 5.5% estimate and February’s reading of 6.3%. Chinese Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose 1.3% QoQ in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, compared to a 1.2% growth in Q4 of 2025. The Aussie attracts some buyers in an immediate reaction to the mixed readings.
Ongoing tensions in the Middle East could boost a safe-haven currency such as the US Dollar (USD) and act as a headwind for the pair. The Associated Press reported on Wednesday that the US and Iran are closer to extending a ceasefire and restarting negotiations about a longer-term peace deal. However, tensions remain particularly high over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for oil and gas that’s been effectively shuttered since the start of the war almost seven weeks ago.
