NZD/USD, AUD/USD firm on RBNZ hike and Australian GDP as oil hits 6-week high

Asia-Pacific trade delivered a heavy data slate alongside escalating US-Iran tensions that lifted crude to a six-week high. The RBNZ raised the Official Cash Rate to 2.75%, with Governor commentary stressing that policy settings remain accommodative despite the hike and that gradual tightening reduces the risk of larger moves later — a mildly hawkish framing that supports NZD/USD. Australia's Q2 GDP beat at 0.4% q/q, keeping a September RBA hike live and underpinning AUD/USD. In Japan, BOJ hawk Takata argued for nimble rate hikes as inflation risks build, though yen gains were capped by the oil-driven terms-of-trade shock, leaving USD/JPY elevated. The PBOC set the USD/CNY midpoint at 6.7829. Asian equities slid as higher oil and rising bond yields weighed on risk appetite, while President Trump said he is in no rush for Iran talks and pointed to control of the Strait of Hormuz. Traders should watch 0.6700 resistance in AUD/USD and the 160.00 pivot in USD/JPY, with geopolitics likely to override data flow near term.