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FOREX-Aussie dlr unsettled by political uncertainty, others calmer

Published 04/07/2016, 09:34 am
Updated 04/07/2016, 09:40 am
© Reuters.  FOREX-Aussie dlr unsettled by political uncertainty, others calmer
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* Aussie briefly flirts with 74 cents, back at $0.7468

* Final result of weekend election still up in the air

* Other major currencies steadier as Brexit continues to fade

By Ian Chua

SYDNEY, July 4 (Reuters) - The Australian dollar got off to a rocky start on Monday on heightened political uncertainty at home while diminishing global anxiety over Brexit put sterling and the other major currencies on a steadier footing.

The pound was little changed at $1.3283 GBP=D4 , stabilising after an 11 percent plunge to a 31-year trough of $1.3122 a week ago in the wake of Britain's June 23 vote to leave the European Union.

While far less dramatic, Australia's general election on Saturday produced no clear winner after more than two thirds of the votes were counted, giving scaremongers a field day with headlines such as 'Chaos Reigns' splashed across front pages of some tabloid papers. gave investors an easy excuse to sell the Aussie, which slid as far as $0.7410 AUD=D4 in thin early trade, from $0.7495 late in New York on Friday. It has since rebounded to $0.7468.

"A hung parliament in Australia has not been historically conducive to good governance and policy reform, and the risk of losing the AAA/stable credit rating is not insignificant," said Annette Beacher, chief Asia-Pac Macro Strategist at TDSecurities.

"While the AUD could sag on the uncertainty, fiscal policy tends to be a slow burn issue and the RBA on Tuesday is more of a marquee event for the markets."

Almost all 37 economists polled by Reuters last week expect the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to keep the cash rate unchanged at a record low 1.75 percent. AU/INT

Yet, there are some expectations the central bank might reinstate a clear easing bias, an outcome that should keep the Aussie under the pump.

For the other major currencies, Brexit is starting to fade as a driver with nerves soothed by promises of more stimulus from the Bank of England and talk of UK corporation tax cuts to offset the shock of leaving the EU. clear fallout from Brexit is that investors no longer expect the Federal Reserve to hike U.S. interest rates this year, while other major central banks are seen poised to ease policy further.

Highlighting the theme of lower rates for longer, U.S. Treasury yields plunged on Friday with the benchmark 10-year US10YT=RR briefly reaching a four-year trough of 1.382 percent, before closing at 1.461 percent.

The euro stood at $1.1130 EUR= , versus $1.1143 on Friday, and it was little changed at 114.29 yen EURJPY=R . The dollar was steady at 102.48 yen JPY= .

With U.S. markets shut for the Independence Day public holiday, trading is expected to be subdued on the day. There is no major data out of Asia on Monday. (Editing by Shri Navaratnam)

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