The Australian dollar faltered on Wednesday after data showed inflation remained stubbornly low last quarter despite relatively brisk economic growth, cementing the case against a rise in interest rates for months to come.
The Australian dollar AUD=D3 drifted back to $0.7405 in the wake of the figures, after briefly touching $0.7450.
It had already faced stiff chart resistance around $0.7440/50, as well as the top for July at $0.7484. Support now comes in at $0.7360 and recent lows in the $0.7311/18 zone.
Australia's headline consumer price index (CPI) rose a slim 0.4 percent in the second quarter, just under forecasts, and much of that was due to higher petrol prices.
Annual CPI inflation ticked up a touch to 2.1 percent but underlying measures favoured by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) stayed at 1.9 percent, marking 10 quarters below the central bank's target band of 2 to 3 percent.
The subdued result led investors to ratchet back the already small chance of a hike in rates over the next 12 months. Futures for July next year
0#YIB: , for instance, imply a 36 percent probability of a move by then."We believe the RBA will continue with the methodology that the next move in the cash rate is more likely to be up than down. But there is no case for any near-term adjustment," said CBA chief economist Michael Blythe.
"The RBA is unlikely to deliver on its conditional tightening bias before Q1 2019 at the earliest."
Australian government bonds rallied, with yields on two-year debt AU2YT=RR dipping 3 basis points to 2.05 percent.
That left them yielding 60 basis points less than two-year U.S. Treasuries, underlining the U.S. dollar's clear interest rate advantage.
The Australian government three-year bond contract YTTc1 added 2.5 ticks to 97.855, while the 10-year contract YTCc1 firmed 3 ticks to 97.3050.
The New Zealand dollar NZD=D4 eased a shade to $0.6795, bound tight between resistance at $0.6820 and support at $0.6670. Indeed, it has not strayed far since June.
"It remains inside a month-long consolidation range between $0.6690 and $0.6860, with a glimmer of upside bias," said Imre Speizer, a market strategist at Westpac Bank.
The lull in headlines over the looming trade war between China and the United States had helped the Pacific currency steady, after touching a two-year low earlier in the month.
Official data showed the country had posted a monthly trade deficit in June, largely on the back of rising oil costs, but this had little impact on the kiwi.
New Zealand government bonds
0#NZTSY= gained, sending yields 0.2 basis points lower at the long end of the curve.
