NZD/USD

Understanding NZD/USD: A Comprehensive GuideThe NZD/USD is a commonly offered currency pair representing the New Zealand dollar or Kiwi and US dollar. The pair is popular for exposure to a commodity currency, i.e. the NZD, which helps capture the risk appetite of forex traders. Like its Antipodean counterpart, the Australian Dollar, the NZD/USD is seen as a carry trade, due in part to interest rate differentials which favor the NZD. The NZD is the world’s seventh most liquid pair at the time of writing with the USD being the world’s most traded currency and the NZD being the tenth. What Affects the NZD/USD? The NZD/USD is offered at virtually every retail forex brokerage and is a common pair for traders to have experience with. The pair moves on investor sentiment and can be much more volatile than other pairs such as the EUR/USD, GBP/USD and others. Given New Zealand is the world's largest exporter of milk powder, this metric is a key factor when driving the pair. Any sensitivity to milk powder exports is captured via the NZD/USD. Additionally, tourism is a key contributor to the New Zealand economy and as such help move the currency pair. Other factors of note for the NZD/USD include export volumes to China as well as other important economic data releases from China. Central banks also play a primary role in the direction of the currency pair with both the US Federal Reserve and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand being closely monitored by investors. Monetary policy is more than capable of abruptly moving the NZD/USD, which can oscillate much more than other normal pairs.