AUD/USD drops to one-week low under 0.7200 as US T-bond yields rally

• AUD/USD declines for the fourth consecutive day, refreshes daily/weekly lows.
• US Treasury yields extend Friday’s run-up to renew multi-day tops after Monday’s holiday.
• Mixed concerns over virus, Fed’s next move keeps traders on the edge.
• Second-tier US data may entertain traders, Thursday’s Aussie jobs report, next week’s FOMC in focus.

AUD/USD takes offers near 0.7185, down 0.33% intraday as markets turn risk-off during early Tuesday. In doing so, the risk barometer pair refreshes daily and weekly lows while declining for the fourth day in a row.

The latest fall in the AUD/USD prices could be linked to the steady increase in the US Treasury yields as bond traders begin the week’s trading after Monday’s holiday.

That said, the US 10-year and 5-year Treasury yields refresh the highest level in two years while the 2-year coupon jumps to the February 2020 levels during the week-start move. It’s worth noting that S&P 500 Futures drop 0.37% by the press time.

It’s worth noting that the record high covid-led deaths in Australia, the latest is 76 per ABC News, also weigh on the AUD/USD prices. On the same line are geopolitical risks emanating from Russia, which recently signaled nearness to a war with Ukraine.

Further, Friday’s hawkish comments from Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco President Mary Daly and New York Fed President John Williams added strength to the odds of faster Fed rate hikes in 2022 and offer additional burden on the AUD/USD prices, by way of firmer yields.

Looking forward, US NY Empire State Manufacturing Index for January and NAHB Housing Market Index will decorate the calendar for the day. Though, major attention will be given to Thursday’s Aussie jobs report for December and the next week’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting.

Technical analysis

A clear downside break of an ascending support line from January 07, near 0.7200, directs AUD/USD prices to the 200-SMA level on 4H near 0.7180.

Meanwhile, the 100-SMA on the four-hour chart near 0.7220 restricts the pair’s short-term upside ahead of the 100-DMA level surrounding 0.7285.