Canadian Dollar dips vs USD; Oil strength to limit losses and cap USD/CAD
- USD/CAD edges higher during the Asian session on Tuesday, though the upside seems limited.
- The uncertainty over US-Iran peace talks revives USD demand and lends support to spot prices.
- Elevated Oil prices underpin the Loonie and cap the pair ahead of the BoC/Fed rate decisions.
The USD/CAD pair reverses a modest Asian session dip on Tuesday and looks to build on the previous day's modest rebound from sub-1.3600 levels, or the lowest since March 12. Spot prices currently trade around the 1.3630 region, though the upside potential seems limited amid a combination of diverging forces.
Mixed signals over US-Iran peace talks assist the US Dollar (USD) to attract some safe-haven flows and turn out to be a key factor acting as a tailwind for the USD/CAD pair. In fact, Iran reportedly gave the US a new proposal on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the war, with nuclear negotiations postponed for a later stage. However, the Wall Street Journal reported that US President Donald Trump was skeptical about Iran not dealing in good faith or being open to meeting his key demand of ending nuclear enrichment.
Meanwhile, continued disruptions to shipping through the critical Strait of Hormuz remain supportive of elevated Crude Oil prices, which underpins the commodity-linked Loonie and keeps a lid on the USD/CAD pair. Traders also seem reluctant to place aggressive directional bets and might opt to move to the sidelines ahead of this week's key central bank event risks. The Bank of Canada (BoC) is scheduled to announce its policy decision on Wednesday, and will be followed by the outcome of the highly anticipated two-day FOMC meeting.
Investors will look for fresh cues about the future policy outlook amid expectations that the war-driven surge in energy prices will rekindle inflationary pressures. This, in turn, will play a key role in determining the next leg of a directional move for the USD/CAD pair. The mixed fundamental backdrop, in turn, makes it prudent to wait for strong follow-through buying before confirming that the pair's recent fall, witnessed since the beginning of this month, has run its course and positioning for any meaningful recovery in the near term.
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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