• The Australian Dollar loses ground on heightened risk aversion as Israeli missiles struck a site in Iran.
• Australia’s equity market falls to a two-month low of 7,489 on Friday.
• The US Dollar gains ground after hawkish remarks from Fed officials made on Thursday.

The Australian Dollar (AUD) extends losses for the second consecutive day on Friday, as riskier assets face pressure due to heightened risk aversion across financial markets. This sentiment intensified following confirmation from ABC News that Israeli missiles had struck a site in Iran, exacerbating tensions in the Middle East.

The Australian Dollar (AUD) faces challenges alongside a decline in the ASX 200 Index on Friday, nearing its two-month low of 7,489. This trend was influenced by weak cues from Wall Street overnight. Additionally, Australia’s 10-year government bond yield fell below 4.3%, retracting from over four-month highs, as investors anticipated a dovish outlook from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) regarding monetary policy.

The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the US Dollar (USD) against six major currencies, advances amid heightened concerns over the potential escalation of the Israel-Gaza conflict in the Middle East. This has attracted investors seeking safe-haven assets. Furthermore, hawkish remarks from Federal Reserve (Fed) officials on Thursday triggered a surge in US Treasury yields and the US Dollar, subsequently exerting downward pressure on the AUD/USD pair.

Traders are expected to closely monitor upcoming speeches from Federal Reserve officials. Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic is set to partake in a moderated discussion regarding the US economic outlook at the University of Miami, Florida. Additionally, Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee is anticipated to participate in a moderated Q&A session at the Association for Business Journalists 2024 SABEW Annual Conference in Chicago.