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ForexLive Asia-Pacific FX news wrap: RBNZ 50bp cash rate hike

The
Reserve Bank of New Zealand met market expectations today with a 0.5%
rise for its cash rate target, taking it from 3.0% to 3.5%. This was
the fifth consecutive 50bp rate rise from the Bank.

NZD/USD
popped higher on the statement, to highs just over 0.5800 before
dropping back to be, as I update, barely changed on the session.

As
the kiwi retraced its rise FX nearly across the board fell against
the USD, although it was not a day of wide ranges. AUD, GBP, EUR, CAD
all fell away a little.

USD/JPY
was a bit of an exception. It dropped to lows under 143.60 early in
the session but has since recovered to a high above 144.30. This is a
decent range for the Asian timezone. There was little specific news
for it.

The
RBA decision yesterday to slow rate hikes (+25bp from the RBA vs, +50
expected) was a factor in the bullish risk appetite seen on Tuesday.
The RBNZ today, though, ploughed ahead with its 50bp hike, which may
give a pause to risk in the day coming up.

News
flow was light, and data releases were lower-tier in importance.

Regional
equities gained, taking their lead from another strong up day on Wall
Street.

The
OPEC+ meeting is ahead for the day, with murmurings of an up to 2mn
barrel/day output cut. The US is lobbying, hard, for no cut from the
cartel (see bullets above).