AUD/USD LOSES GROUND ABOVE THE 0.6600 MARK AMID MODEST REBOUND IN US DOLLAR

• AUD/USD trades on a weaker note near 0.6620 in Monday’s early Asian session. 
• US Nonfarm payrolls increased by 275K in February; Unemployment Rate rose more than expected to 3.9%.
• Chinese CPI rose for the first time in six months, coming in at 0.7% YoY in February vs. -0.8% prior. 

The AUD/USD pair trades with a mild negative bias above the 0.6600 psychological mark during the early Asian session on Monday. The pair edges lower due to the modest rebound of the US Dollar (USD) to 102.75 after retreating to 102.40. Investors will closely watch the US Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Retail Sales data this week for fresh impetus. At press time, AUD/USD is trading at 0.6620, unchanged for the day. 

The US Nonfarm Payrolls rose by 275K in February from 229K in January, better than the expectation of 200K. Meanwhile, Average Hourly Earnings arrived at 4.3% YoY, below the estimation and the previous reading of 4.4%. The Unemployment Rate climbed to 3.9% from 3.7% in January. 
 
The Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said last week during his semiannual testimony that the labor market is relatively tight, but supply and demand conditions have continued to come into better balance. The markets believe that the Fed will need more data to be confident that the supply of labor is recovering. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, traders have nearly fully priced a June rate cut and almost 100 basis points (bps) by year-end.

On the other hand, the Chinese Consumer Price Index (CPI) climbed for the first time in six months due to spending linked to the Lunar New Year. China rose 0.7% YoY in February from a 0.8% decline in January, above the market consensus of a 0.3% increase, the first monthly rise since August 2023. The Producer Price Index (PPI) fell 2.7% YoY in February, compared to expectations and the previous January’s reading of a 2.5% decline. The Chinese CPI inflation data provides some relief to the world's second-largest economy and lifts the China-proxy Australian Dollar (AUD). 

Looking ahead, market players will keep an eye on the US February CPI and Retail Sales on Tuesday and Thursday this week, respectively. On the Aussie docket, the Westpac Consumer Confidence for March will be due on Tuesday. These events could give a clear direction to the AUD/USD pair.