Canadian Dollar declines due to lower oil prices, stronger US Dollar
- USD/CAD rises under the weight of lower energy prices, leaving the commodity-linked Canadian Dollar struggling against the US Dollar.
- WTI declines as conflicting reports over potential US-Iran peace talks cloud the Middle East outlook.
- The Greenback gains as CME FedWatch tool signals nearly a 60% probability of a Fed rate hike by September.
USD/CAD extends its gains for the second consecutive day, trading around 1.4230 during the Asian session on Tuesday. The commodity-linked Canadian Dollar (CAD) continues to struggle against the US Dollar (USD) under the weight of lower energy prices.
West Texas Intermediate crude pulled back near $70.10 per barrel at the time of writing, erasing its previous gains. This decline directly reflects the actions of energy traders who are cautiously weighing the volatile mix of Middle East geopolitical standoffs, potential diplomatic off-ramps, and the evolving security situation in crucial global shipping lanes.
The USD/CAD pair shifted upward as the US Dollar rises on rising hawkish sentiment surrounding the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) policy trajectory. According to the CME FedWatch tool, traders are now pricing in a nearly 60% probability of a Fed interest rate hike by September. This aggressive shift has intensified focus on this week's key US labor market reports, particularly Thursday’s Nonfarm Payrolls (NFP) data, for definitive clues on the central bank's next moves. Forecasters currently expect June job growth to land at 114,000, with the Unemployment Rate holding flat at 4.3%.
Beyond interest rate expectations, the Greenback is drawing safe-haven support from persistent geopolitical friction in the Middle East, though diplomatic signals remain highly conflicted. US President Donald Trump announced that the two nations were set to hold fresh peace talks on Tuesday in Doha, Qatar, following a weekend of regional hostilities. However, Tehran sharply contradicted this claim, stating that no negotiation meetings are scheduled with Washington at any level and emphasizing that Iran remains focused on implementing its existing memorandum of understanding rather than entering final agreement talks.
Further complicating the geopolitical landscape, Tehran reiterated its intent to oversee traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, even if Oman opts out of joint oversight. Under the current interim agreement, Iran will waive transit fees for 60 days but has floated the possibility of introducing shipping charges thereafter, a proposal firmly opposed by the US, Europe, and Gulf Arab states. While maritime shipping through the vital waterway slowed over the weekend after clashes damaged two vessels, tanker operators and crews have so far shown a continued willingness to transit the route.
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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