AUD/USD consolidates around 0.6550 as focus shifts to US NFP

AUD/USD turns sideways after refreshing an 11-week low near 0.6540 ahead of US NFP data.

The uncertainty over the US presidential elections has weakened the appeal of risk-sensitive assets.

Inflationary pressures in Australia decelerated sharply in the third quarter of the year.

The AUD/USD pair trades sideways above more than 11-week low of 0.6540 in Thursday’s European session. The Aussie asset consolidates as investors await United States (US) Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) data for October, which will influence market expectations for the Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate path in the remainder of the year.

Market sentiment remains risk-averse as investors turn cautious ahead of US presidential elections on November 5. While national polls have indicated tough competition between former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris, traders seem to be pricing in Trump’s victory. Trump is expected to implement protectionist policies, which will have a significant impact on nations that are leading trading partners of the US.

S&P500 futures have posted significant losses in the European session, exhibiting the weak risk appetite of investors. The US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback’s value against six major currencies, drops slightly below 104.00.

The US NFP report is expected to show that the economy added 115K jobs lower than 254K in September, with the Unemployment Rate remaining steady at 4.1% on Friday. Investors will also focus on the US ISM Manufacturing PMI for October, which is expected to have contracted again but at a slower pace to 47.6 from 47.2 in September.