well i've been watching the aussie dollar the last few weeks like a hawk. I've got it set up on my iGoogle page. The two reasons i've been watching it are that firstly and most importantly, I'm trying to pick my time to preorder left4dead off steam. secondly, i'm headed to sth america at the end of the year and want to have 50c beers rather then pay 80c.

has anyone got any insider advice on whats the movement over the next few weeks going to be? at the moment it is at 67c, it was down at 60c on monday, but as you all know, was at 98c 3 months ago. WHAT DO I DO, apart from make a post about it?

I cant help with predicting what the AUD will do but i can tell you DONT TRAVEL while its down... ive been travelling over seas for 2.5 years now and its killing me at the moment, i am almost home thank god, in thailand now.

Once again - do not travel!!!

Oh and where are you going in South america?

Ive been to Argentina, Chile, Peru, Bolivia, and Colombia also Panama and Guetamala in central america - i can let u know awsome things to do in any of those countries.

The lower it drops the happier I am k thx.. Im bringing pounds back and unfortunately due to some bank screw ups its taking its time.. I hope it plummets to like 2c

there is no way to reliably predict what the aud is going to do. it's fate is largely linked to the price of resources as that is australia's major export.

the predicted weakness in china has eroded resource spot rates but a lot of the export conjtracts are tied up on contracts from start of the year while the global economy was booming.

the other factors playing on the price are the requirement for australian investors to unwind japanese yen loans which means they are seeling aud and buying yen. thirdly, the USD is seen as the superor global currency during this time of financial stress so investors are selling their local currencies to buy USD bonds.

i expected the aud will stay low for some time and wont reach above 75c before the end of the year. 68c is as good a rate as any atm.

hahaha im in the same boat waiting for the aud to go up to buy left 4 dead :)

Yer I'm leaving to Europe in a few weeks, been watching it so intently & praying the aussie goes up against the euro :(

I'm leaving for Canada in 3wks, but have been fairly obliviously to the exchange rate, mostly in an attempt to pretend I'm not going to be wasting all my savings traveling at this time. Fortunately I'll be earing Canadian dollar once I get over there.

I'm kinda hoping that the exchange rate isn't going to be too bad in Sth America. The 68c rate is if I am changing with US currency, but since i am going to be changing into peso's or wateva, I'm hoping that their currency has dropped similarly over the last few months. Hence it won't make a big difference. I think the place you really feel the pain is if you travel to Europe or the US.

Fall you sonofabitch. FALL!!!!!!!!

:D :D :D

the aud can diaf kthnx i'm making a killing send my euros home

i'm goin to south america at the end of the year too

hi-5

I am loving the EURO:AUD rate at the mo :D

Just brought over 15k USD. I'm happy. I'd be happier if it was back at 60c when I 1st started the wire transfer, but while waiting for it to be processed its jumped to 67c.

All I know is fuel prices have dropped in the last week to $1.25ish at times which is fine in my books!

mmmm yeah but not for long, I heard fuel speculation was keeping the price artificiality high. which has now kinda stopped, but OPEC has chosen to limit supply, which would send the price up again. and count me in for the 'waiting for it to go up so I can buy left 4 dead' team :(

the USD is seen as the superor global currency during this time of financial stress so investors are selling their local currencies to buy USD bonds.

I don't understand this? It's their economy that's screwed, so why are people investing in it?! Because it's at the bottom of the cycle?

I'm not disagreeing here, I'm actually wondering.

I was looking into buying a house, and half the people I talk to are saying "wait" the prices are going to drop. The other half are saying buy now because it's going up as the markets are on flux and people are investing in bricks and mortar. Stupid experts.

I was looking into buying a house, and half the people I talk to are saying "wait" the prices are going to drop. The other half are saying buy now because it's going up as the markets are on flux and people are investing in bricks and mortar. Stupid experts.

It is times like this that separate the experts from the wannabes.

slide mother f***er slide! well at least for the next 6months, then ill send all my squid home!

For Houses, it's not time knowing the market, it's time in the market.

I have NFI what prices will do, though personally I think they will drop off a little, Work for Tradies is already slowing down a little. (Booked for 6 months instead of a year).

With that said, the sooner you're in the sooner you can start paying it off and the sooner you have enough equity in it to do other things with it.
If you have a steady job that you know you wont lose if unemployment rises a few % points then there is no reason not to buy a house as soon as you can get a deposit, finance and find somewhere you want to live.

I don't understand this? It's their economy that's screwed, so why are people investing in it?! Because it's at the bottom of the cycle?

Essentially because the US has the largest economy (largest army, largest bunch of wanker bankers), they can in effect just tax and inflate their way out of this trouble. and the other economies now this. if you stay in bonds you will be safe no matter what.

unless of course everyone realises the US is bankrupt. then it might be an idea to hold AUD.

hahaha im in the same boat waiting for the aud to go up to buy left 4 dead :)

don't wait too long..

From SMH

The Australian dollar may fall to a record low next year, possibly dipping below 40 US cents for the first time, as slowing growth in emerging markets cools demand for the raw materials exported by the nation.

I'm leaving for Canada in 3wks, but have been fairly obliviously to the exchange rate, mostly in an attempt to pretend I'm not going to be wasting all my savings traveling at this time. Fortunately I'll be earing Canadian dollar once I get over there.

Its easy to live cheaply in Vancouver, BC

I worked there for a year as well - go to commercial drive its a whole road full of organic produce also they have farmers markets where you can buy really cheap fruit and veg.

If you go to Van u HAVE to go to 'bonds' breakfeast restaurant.. the place has been doing all day breakfeast for 30 years and never changed the price still $2.99 for a huge breakfeast!

Also try and stay away from working on the skie fields - they are full of aussies, dont know about you but i travelled to get away from my own culture.

Well I'm going over to work/ski, so the ski fields is kinda the whole point..
However I am prepared for too many Australians, and I'm heading to Jasper anyway, so slightly less Aussies than Whistler at any rate.

Where is this 'bonds' restaurant?

I was also waiting for the dollar to go up in order to buy Left 4 Dead, but I gave up last night. It was at about 67c, which was the best I'd seen it all week, so I just did it.

I was also waiting for the dollar to go up in order to buy Left 4 Dead, but I gave up last night. It was at about 67c, which was the best I'd seen it all week, so I just did it.

Oh you didnt ... oh you did ...

I don't understand this? It's their economy that's screwed, so why are people investing in it?! Because it's at the bottom of the cycle?

because US treasuries are an incredibly safe investment. US government didn't walk away from their implied guarantees of the GSEs so it is very unlikely they will default on the real stuff.

I'm heading to Jasper anyway, so slightly less Aussies than Whistler at any rate.

I was there a few months ago, drove up there from LA. Jasper was awesome, nice and small. Still a disproportionate number of Aussies though. Make sure you take a drive down the Icefields Parkway in spring. Its about 150 miles long, but that drive rates as one of the best experiences of my life.

last edited by Furgle at 11:17:26 01/Nov/08

You know why they invented economists? To make the weathermen look good.

left4dead demo is available on the 6th if you pre-order it via steam. but seeing as i have exams from the 10th-12th, i might hold out till then.

left4dead demo is available on the 6th if you pre-order it via steam.

its just the demo thats available.

Well I'm going over to work/ski, so the ski fields is kinda the whole point.. However I am prepared for too many Australians, and I'm heading to Jasper anyway, so slightly less Aussies than Whistler at any rate. Where is this 'bonds' restaurant?

Bonds is on Broadway and Nanaimo, you can walk there from the Broadway Sky train station. Ask anyone they will know it.