Investing.com - The Australian dollar climbed higher against its U.S. counterpart on Monday, supported by upbeat data out of Australia, although investors remained cautious amid growing concerns over a military strike against Syria.
AUD/USD hit 0.8993 during late Asian trade, the pair's highest since August 27; the pair subsequently consolidated at 0.8983, gaining 0.89%.
The pair was likely to find support at 0.8904, the low of August 29 and resistance at 0.9070, the high of August 26.
In a report, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said that building approvals increased by 10.8% in July, exceeding expectations for a 4% rise. The previous month's figure was revised up to a 6.3% decline from a previously estimated 6.9% fall.
However, a separate report showed that company operating profits in Australia fell 0.8% in the second quarter, confounding expectations for a 0.7% rise. Company operating profits for the three months to March were revised up to a 3.5% increase from a previously estimated 3% rise.
Elsewhere, a report showed that China’s final HSBC Purchasing Managers Index inched up to a four-month high of 50.1 in August, unchanged from a preliminary reading and up from 47.7 in July.
China is Australia's biggest export partner.
Meanwhile, investors remained cautious as concerns over a possible U.S. military intervention mounted after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday that the U. S. would punish Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for a "brutal and flagrant" chemical weapons attack that killed nearly 1,500 people in Damascus.
The Aussie was higher against the euro with EUR/AUD retreating 0.88%, to hit 1.4716.
Trading volumes were expected to remain light on Monday, with U.S. markets closed for the Labor Day holiday.
AUD/USD hit 0.8993 during late Asian trade, the pair's highest since August 27; the pair subsequently consolidated at 0.8983, gaining 0.89%.
The pair was likely to find support at 0.8904, the low of August 29 and resistance at 0.9070, the high of August 26.
In a report, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said that building approvals increased by 10.8% in July, exceeding expectations for a 4% rise. The previous month's figure was revised up to a 6.3% decline from a previously estimated 6.9% fall.
However, a separate report showed that company operating profits in Australia fell 0.8% in the second quarter, confounding expectations for a 0.7% rise. Company operating profits for the three months to March were revised up to a 3.5% increase from a previously estimated 3% rise.
Elsewhere, a report showed that China’s final HSBC Purchasing Managers Index inched up to a four-month high of 50.1 in August, unchanged from a preliminary reading and up from 47.7 in July.
China is Australia's biggest export partner.
Meanwhile, investors remained cautious as concerns over a possible U.S. military intervention mounted after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Friday that the U. S. would punish Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for a "brutal and flagrant" chemical weapons attack that killed nearly 1,500 people in Damascus.
The Aussie was higher against the euro with EUR/AUD retreating 0.88%, to hit 1.4716.
Trading volumes were expected to remain light on Monday, with U.S. markets closed for the Labor Day holiday.