• The Australian Dollar appreciates, propelled by an increasing hawkish sentiment surrounding the RBA.
• Australia’s Retail Sales could provide insight into consumer spending habits on Tuesday.
• The US Dollar retraces its recent gains due to the possible shift toward risk-on sentiment.

The Australian Dollar (AUD) continued its winning streak on Monday that began on April 22, trading around the three-week high of 0.6560. The AUD's upward momentum is fueled by increasing hawkish sentiment surrounding the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), spurred by last week's CPI inflation data surpassing expectations.

The Australian Financial Review reported that Warren Hogan, chief economic adviser at Judo Bank, anticipated that the RBA implement three cash rate hikes throughout 2024, ultimately reaching 5.1%, with the initial increase likely occurring in August. Investors are likely awaiting the March Retail Sales data, scheduled for release on Tuesday, as it provides insight into Australia's consumer spending habits, which significantly impact inflation and GDP trends.

The US Dollar Index (DXY), which measures the performance of the US Dollar (USD) against six major currencies, retraces its recent gains, possibly reflecting a shift toward risk-on sentiment in the market. However, market analysts anticipate that the US Federal Reserve (Fed) will maintain the current interest rate range of 5.25%–5.5% in its upcoming announcement on Wednesday, likely due to concerns over elevated inflation levels.

On Friday, the annual US Core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) Price Index data for March showed an uptick, adding weight to the notion that the Fed may delay any potential rate cuts until September, as indicated by market speculation. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, the likelihood of the Federal Reserve's (Fed) interest rates remaining unchanged in the June meeting has risen to 87.7%, up from last week’s 81.7%.