AUD/USD maintains its position around 0.7180 during the Asian session on Thursday. Australia’s Unemployment Rate remained stable at 4.3% in March, consistent with expectations. Market participants will pay careful attention to geopolitical developments in the Middle East. The AUD/USD pair maintains a favorable position near 0.7180 in the Asian trading session on Thursday. The Australian Dollar shows resilience against the Greenback, influenced by a blend of economic indicators from both Australian and Chinese reports.
Data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Thursday indicated that the Unemployment Rate remained unchanged at 4.3% in March. The figure aligned with the market consensus. Furthermore, the Australian Employment Change recorded a figure of 17.9K in March. This reading came in at 49.7K for February (revised from 48.9K), falling short of the anticipated 20K.
In China, the annual March Retail Sales rose by 1.7%, falling short of the expected 2.3% and down from the previous 2.8%. Meanwhile, Industrial Production reported a growth of 5.7%, surpassing the estimate of 5.5% but lower than February’s figure of 6.3%. In the first quarter of 2026, Chinese Gross Domestic Product experienced a growth of 1.3% QoQ, showing an increase from the 1.2% growth recorded in Q4 of 2025. The Australian dollar draws interest from some buyers following the mixed economic indicators.
Current tensions in the Middle East may strengthen a safe-haven currency like the US Dollar and serve as a challenge for the pair. On Wednesday, the Associated Press indicated that the US and Iran are nearing an agreement to extend a ceasefire and resume discussions regarding a more enduring peace arrangement. However, tensions continue to be notably elevated over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital passage for oil and gas that has been largely closed since the onset of the conflict nearly seven weeks ago.