There are a few items on the economic data agenda from Australia today

2230GMT - AIG Performance of Manufacturing index for February, prior was 49.0

2300GMT - CoreLogic RP Data house prices for February, prior was +1.3%

2330GMT -TD Securities/Melbourne Institute (MI) Inflation Gauge for February

  • prior was +0.1% m/m and +1.5% y/y

0000GMT - HIA New Home Sales for January, prior was -1.9% m/m

0030GMT - Company profits for Q4

  • expected is +0.5%, prior was +0.5% q/q

0030GMT - Inventories for Q4

  • expected is +0.1%, prior was +0.7%

0530GMT - Commodity price index for February, prior was -20.4% to 87.3

-

We also get the HSBC China manufacturing PMI today, which will impact on the AUD.

Over the weekend we got the official manufacturing and non-manufacturing PMIs, which came in a little (a little) better that for January. And ... of course ... a rate cut out of China!

Both of these added a bit to the AUD in the very, very early this morning in New Zealand, with the AUD/USD currently sitting just around its late Friday level now at 0.7808: