AUD/USD has added 7 pips thus far and last...>

AUSSIE: AUD/USD has added 7 pips thus far and last deals at $0.7146 after

slipping almost 50 pips Wednesday, with the Aussie finishing at the bottom of

the G10 pile. The pair was pressured by comments from (typically hawkish) USTR

Lighthizer, who warned that U.S.-China trade tensions "are too serious to be

resolved with promises of additional purchases," as well as USD's recovery on

the back of rising Tsy yields.

- The 100-HMA at $0.7153 provides the initial layer of resistance and a jump

above would allow bulls to set their sights on the 100-DMA at $0.7164.

Conversely, bears eye the nearby 50-DMA, situated at $0.7132, followed by

$0.7127, which represents yesterday's low.

- Focus falls on AU CapEx data, due at the bottom of the hour, in lieu of

yesterday's soft completed construction work reading. Monthly retail sales and

trade data already pointed to GDP headwinds, and yesterday's reading resulted in

economists alluding to downside risks to next week's GDP print. Private credit

data is also due at the same time, while AU m'fing PMI hits on Friday.

Elsewhere, Chinese PMI data, due today and tomorrow, will also draw attention.