USD/CAD edges higher ahead of FOMC Minutes, with the interest rate outlook in focus
- USD/CAD heads toward moving average resistance ahead of FOMC Minutes.
- The US Dollar finds temporary support from rising Consumer Confidence and a hawkish Fed.
- The Loonie pair remains focused on the direction of the US Dollar, for now.
The Canadian Dollar (CAD) is trading modestly lower against the US Dollar (USD) on Wednesday, with investors awaiting the release of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) Meeting Minutes at 18:00 GMT.
The Federal Reserve (Fed) has remained firm in its commitment to holding interest rates steady until inflation gets closer to its 2% target. As such, the minutes from the May meeting could shape expectations for the near-term path of monetary policy.
At the time of writing, USD/CAD is trading near 1.3823 with the 20-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) providing resistance at 1.3874.
Interest rate divergence fuels USD/CAD momentum ahead of Fed Minutes
On Tuesday, the US Dollar found renewed support after Consumer Confidence data showed a sharp jump to 98 in May, up from 85.7 in April. Easing tensions between the European Union (EU) and the US has also lent support to the Greenback and, together with hawkish comments from Fed officials, has reinforced the case for USD/CAD bulls.
Interest rate divergence remains a primary driver of the pair’s strength.
Recent Canadian data suggest that the Bank of Canada (BoC) may consider cutting rates in June. While headline inflation fell to 1.7% in April, core inflation—excluding volatile components like food and energy—rose to 3.15%, remaining above the BoC’s target.
Markets are now pricing in a potential 25-basis-point rate cut from the Bank of Canada, which would bring the benchmark rate down from 2.75% to 2.50%.
In contrast, the Fed is widely expected to keep rates on hold in June, with market pricing showing a 97.8% probability of maintaining the current 4.25%–4.50% range.
The next rate cut is expected at the September meeting.
Any hawkish or dovish tone in Fed Minutes could shift sentiment further, especially ahead of Friday’s release of the central bank’s preferred inflation gauge, the Core Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index.
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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