NZD/USD Price Forecast: Seems vulnerable near 0.6000 on dovish RBNZ; FOMC Minutes awaited
Ni Haresh Menghani
Petsa ng Pag-publish: 18 Feb 2026 | Petsa ng Pag-edit: 18 Feb 2026
Sikat na Artikulo
The NZD/USD pair adds to the dovish Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ)-inspired losses and drops to a nearly two-week low, below the 0.6000 psychological mark during the early European session on Tuesday.
- NZD/USD attracts heavy selling on Wednesday in reaction to the RBNZ’s dovish outlook.
- A modest USD uptick contributes to the intraday fall as traders await the FOMC Minutes.
- An intraday breakdown through a one-week-old range backs the case for further losses.
The NZD/USD pair adds to the dovish Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ)-inspired losses and drops to a nearly two-week low, below the 0.6000 psychological mark during the early European session on Tuesday.
As was widely expected, the RBNZ kept its Official Cash Rate (OCR) at 2.25% and reiterated an accommodative policy outlook amid expectations that inflation will return to the target over the next year. Traders were quick to react and pushed back the likely timing for a rate hike further into late-2026, which weighed heavily on the New Zealand Dollar (NZD).
Apart from this, a modest US Dollar (USD) uptick exerts additional pressure on the NZD/USD pair and contributes to the fall. The upside for the USD, however, seems limited amid bets for more interest rate cuts by the US Federal Reserve (Fed). Traders might also refrain from placing aggressive directional bets and opt to wait for the release of the FOMC Minutes.
An intraday breakdown through a one-week-old trading range support could be seen as a fresh trigger for the NZD/USD bears. Spot price remains below the 200-hour Simple Moving Average (SMA), maintaining a negative outlook. The upward-sloping SMA acts as a dynamic hurdle, and a close back above it would be needed to ease downside pressure.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) line sits below the Signal line, with both below zero and a widening negative histogram, reinforcing and strengthening bearish momentum. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) prints at 31 (near oversold), and a drop through 30 could extend the slide, while rebounds could stall into the 200-period SMA.
(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool.)
NZD/USD 1-hour chart
RBNZ FAQs
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) is the country’s central bank. Its economic objectives are achieving and maintaining price stability – achieved when inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), falls within the band of between 1% and 3% – and supporting maximum sustainable employment.
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s (RBNZ) Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decides the appropriate level of the Official Cash Rate (OCR) according to its objectives. When inflation is above target, the bank will attempt to tame it by raising its key OCR, making it more expensive for households and businesses to borrow money and thus cooling the economy. Higher interest rates are generally positive for the New Zealand Dollar (NZD) as they lead to higher yields, making the country a more attractive place for investors. On the contrary, lower interest rates tend to weaken NZD.
Employment is important for the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) because a tight labor market can fuel inflation. The RBNZ’s goal of “maximum sustainable employment” is defined as the highest use of labor resources that can be sustained over time without creating an acceleration in inflation. “When employment is at its maximum sustainable level, there will be low and stable inflation. However, if employment is above the maximum sustainable level for too long, it will eventually cause prices to rise more and more quickly, requiring the MPC to raise interest rates to keep inflation under control,” the bank says.
In extreme situations, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) can enact a monetary policy tool called Quantitative Easing. QE is the process by which the RBNZ prints local currency and uses it to buy assets – usually government or corporate bonds – from banks and other financial institutions with the aim to increase the domestic money supply and spur economic activity. QE usually results in a weaker New Zealand Dollar (NZD). QE is a last resort when simply lowering interest rates is unlikely to achieve the objectives of the central bank. The RBNZ used it during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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