Investing.com – The Aussie held weaker on Tuesday after the central bank held steady and even as it signaled an improving economy.
AUD/USD traded down 0.31% to 0.7803, while USD/JPY changed hands at 113.12, up 0.33%.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) on Tuesday held its cash rate steady at a record low 1.50% as expected and signaled to markets that the economy continues to improve.
Earlier, Australia reported that building approvals rose 0.4% on month in August, below the 1.1% gain expected, while private house approvals fell 0.6%, compared to a 1.0% gain in July.
The U.S. dollar index, which measures the greenback’s strength against a trade-weighted basket of six major currencies, rose 0.24% to 93.70.
Overnight, the dollar rose against a basket of major currencies after data showing manufacturing activity rose to its highest since 2004 fuelled expectations of solid third-quarter economic growth.
The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said its index of national factory activity surged to a reading of 60.8 last month, the highest reading since May 2004, from 58.8 in August.
That beat economists’ expectations of a reading of 58.
The rally in dollar comes amid growing investor expectations the greenback faces a period of consolidation in the wake of data last week showing speculators increased their short bets against the U.S. dollar.
The value of the dollar’s net short position was $17.36 billion in the week to Sept 29, up from net shorts of $13.19 billion the previous week.
The pound and euro, meanwhile, added to losses against the greenback with the latter under pressure following renewed Eurozone geopolitical risk and downbeat manufacturing activity.
Preliminary results released by Spain’s Catalonia region government showed 90% of the 2.26 million Catalans who voted on Sunday voted in favour of independence, adding to Eurozone geopolitical uncertainty in the wake of the German election results a week ago.