AUD Continues To Outperform

After outperforming on Wednesday AUD has continued its rise in early Asia-Pac trade, it was announced earlier that the vaccination rate in NSW has hit 70% and movement restrictions will be eased later today as a result. Further and more substantial easing will follow once the vaccination rate hits 80%.

• NZD looking soft compared to its Antipodean peer despite yesterday's rate hike, Dep PM Robertson told NZ Herald that officials are monitoring Covid-19 situation in Waikato, where new community cases were found outside of the area earlier placed at Alert Level 3. Robertson suggested that the boundary of the area could be extended if needed.
• In Japan NHK reported that Tokyo's Covid-19 panel is planning to lower the medical system alert level one notch from the current highest level at today's meeting. Markets in China still on holiday which is likely to keep things quiet once again.
• Focus turns to German industrial production and weekly US jobless claims, while a number of ECB speakers are also due. There are seven different ECB speeches on the docket, as well as appearances from Fed's Mester and PBoC governor Yi Gang. Meanwhile US Senator McConnell says a short-term debt ceiling vote is possible on Thursday.