New Zealand Dollar Declines as US Dollar Strengthens Amid Geopolitical Tensions
The New Zealand Dollar has extended its decline for a second consecutive session as the US Dollar strengthens. Rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East have increased demand for safe-haven assets, despite mixed US economic data. An Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon has heightened risk aversion, although reports of a potential Iran-Oman agreement on a shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz have eased some concerns. The US Dollar benefits from defensive positioning, while softer New Zealand employment figures reinforce expectations of gradual central bank policy tightening.