AU:Will Positive Aussie Labor Data Hold as US Retail Sales Loom?The Australian Dollar (AUD) found support on Thursday following the release of positive labor market data. Australia's Employment Change rose by 64.1K in September, bringing total employment to a record-high 14.52 million. This strong labor data has provided a temporary boost to the AUD, despite broader market uncertainties. However, traders remain cautious ahead of the anticipated US Retail Sales data, which is expected to show a 0.3% increase for September, up from 0.1% in the previous month.
Technical Analysis and Market Positioning
From a technical perspective, the Commitment of Traders (COT) report shows a clear divergence in market sentiment. Retail traders appear to be strongly bullish on the AUD/USD, while smart money (institutional investors) has taken a bearish stance. This discrepancy often signals the potential for market reversals, as institutional players are generally more adept at positioning ahead of key market moves.
Additionally, when looking at seasonality trends from the Forecaster and considering key Supply and Demand areas, there’s a possibility that the AUD/USD could experience a new drop. However, this is likely to occur after a brief retracement, as the market digests both the Australian labor data and the upcoming US economic figures.
Outlook and Strategy
For now, we are adopting a wait-and-see approach. Given the mixed signals from the COT report and the seasonal factors at play, we prefer to remain on the sidelines until the situation becomes clearer. The upcoming US Retail Sales data, along with other market-moving news, will likely provide further direction for the AUD/USD in the days ahead. Once the market reacts to these key events, we will reassess and consider potential trade setups accordingly.
Patience is key, as the next few days could bring more clarity after the news impacts play out.
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