Canadian Dollar receives support from higher oil prices
- USD/CAD slips as the commodity-linked Canadian Dollar strengthens amid a modest rise in oil prices.
- Lebanon’s army recorded multiple Israeli ceasefire violations after the truce took effect.
- The US Dollar Index gains support from safe-haven demand amid cautious sentiment ahead of weekend US–Iran talks.
USD/CAD remains subdued for the fifth consecutive day, trading around 1.3700 during the Asian hours on Friday. The pair inches lower as the commodity-linked Canadian Dollar (CAD) edges higher amid a slight increase in oil prices, given Canada’s status as the largest crude exporter to the United States (US).
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Oil price holds gains near $90.00 per barrel at the time of writing. Crude oil prices receive support from supply concerns, which could be attributed to the market caution surrounding the United States (US)-Iran ceasefire talks.
CNN reported on Friday that the Lebanese army said that it recorded multiple ceasefire violations by Israel after the truce went into effect. Lebanon accused Israel of committing “several acts of aggression,” saying intermittent shelling has impacted several villages in southern Lebanon. The army urged citizens to delay returning to southern towns and villages in light of the alleged ceasefire violations.
US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he had spoken with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, adding that Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day ceasefire that began at 5 PM ET.
However, the downside of the USD/CAD pair is restrained as the US Dollar Index (DXY) receives support from increased safe-haven demand amid market caution ahead of the upcoming meeting between the United States (US) and Iran scheduled for the weekend.
Washington and Tehran are expected to resume their discussions over the weekend, with President Trump expressing optimism that both nations could secure a permanent ceasefire before it expires next week.
Canadian Dollar FAQs
The key factors driving the Canadian Dollar (CAD) are the level of interest rates set by the Bank of Canada (BoC), the price of Oil, Canada’s largest export, the health of its economy, inflation and the Trade Balance, which is the difference between the value of Canada’s exports versus its imports. Other factors include market sentiment – whether investors are taking on more risky assets (risk-on) or seeking safe-havens (risk-off) – with risk-on being CAD-positive. As its largest trading partner, the health of the US economy is also a key factor influencing the Canadian Dollar.
The Bank of Canada (BoC) has a significant influence on the Canadian Dollar by setting the level of interest rates that banks can lend to one another. This influences the level of interest rates for everyone. The main goal of the BoC is to maintain inflation at 1-3% by adjusting interest rates up or down. Relatively higher interest rates tend to be positive for the CAD. The Bank of Canada can also use quantitative easing and tightening to influence credit conditions, with the former CAD-negative and the latter CAD-positive.
The price of Oil is a key factor impacting the value of the Canadian Dollar. Petroleum is Canada’s biggest export, so Oil price tends to have an immediate impact on the CAD value. Generally, if Oil price rises CAD also goes up, as aggregate demand for the currency increases. The opposite is the case if the price of Oil falls. Higher Oil prices also tend to result in a greater likelihood of a positive Trade Balance, which is also supportive of the CAD.
While inflation had always traditionally been thought of as a negative factor for a currency since it lowers the value of money, the opposite has actually been the case in modern times with the relaxation of cross-border capital controls. Higher inflation tends to lead central banks to put up interest rates which attracts more capital inflows from global investors seeking a lucrative place to keep their money. This increases demand for the local currency, which in Canada’s case is the Canadian Dollar.
Macroeconomic data releases gauge the health of the economy and can have an impact on the Canadian Dollar. Indicators such as GDP, Manufacturing and Services PMIs, employment, and consumer sentiment surveys can all influence the direction of the CAD. A strong economy is good for the Canadian Dollar. Not only does it attract more foreign investment but it may encourage the Bank of Canada to put up interest rates, leading to a stronger currency. If economic data is weak, however, the CAD is likely to fall.
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