USD/AUD: what to know
The USD/AUD rate shows how much AUD you get for 1 USD. Right now, 1 USD buys 1.4336 AUD at the mid-market rate. In the other direction, 1 AUD is worth 0.6976 USD.
In the short term USD is driven mainly by Fed policy, US growth and global risk appetite, while AUD responds to commodity prices and Chinese demand.
The US Dollar (USD) is issued by Federal Reserve (Fed). Most of the world’s central-bank reserves are held in US dollars. The Australian Dollar (AUD) is issued by Reserve Bank of Australia. Australia pioneered polymer banknotes in 1988 — more durable and harder to counterfeit.
Over the past 12 months the USD/AUD rate has ranged between 1.3780 and 1.5570 — a change of -6.60% versus a year ago.
Use this mid-market figure as your benchmark: compare it with the rate your bank or broker quotes, and the difference is the margin you would pay.