The Australian dollar is slightly lower after weak US economic data and worries over Syria pulled it in opposite directions overnight. 
At 0700 AEST on Tuesday, the local unit was trading at 90.33 US cents, down from 90.38 cents on Monday.
Late on Monday night, the Australian currency rose to a session high of 90.71 US cents after US durable goods orders, fridges and washing machines and the like, fell 7.3 per cent in July.
The data put further doubts on the likelihood of the US Federal Reserve ending its economic stimulus program soon, and weakened the US dollar.
For the remainder of the overnight session the Australian dollar fell in line with Wall Street stocks after after US Secretary of State John Kerry warned that the US would demand “accountability” over the chemical weapons attack on Syrian civilians.
Westpac NZ senior market strategist Imre Speizer said it was an up-and-down night for the currency.
“Volatile is how I’d characterise it,” he said from Auckland.
“We’re not too far from where we closed.
“The notable move was that jump from the durable goods, and then it dribbled off after that.”
Speizer said traders would now be waiting for a raft of US economic data due out on Tuesday night (Australian time), which includes US June house prices data.
He expects the Australian dollar to trade in a range between 90.00 and 90.70 US cents during local trade on Tuesday.
AAP
