Canadian Dollar edges higher to near 1.4000 as crude oil gains

USD/CAD declines to around 1.4005 in Monday’s Asian session.
Iran said it targeted US aircraft in Jordan.
Cooling in June’s US inflation data slashed the immediate odds of a Fed July rate hike.

Lallalit Srijandorn FXStreet

The USD/CAD pair extends its downside to near 1.4005 during the Asian trading hours on Monday. Rising crude oil prices provide some support to the commodity-linked Canadian Dollar (CAD) against the US Dollar (USD). Traders brace for the release of Canada’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation data later on Monday.

The Guardian reported on Monday that US President Donald Trump said that the latest US strikes on Iran were being carried out in honor of US service members killed in recent days. Meanwhile, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said that the Strait of Hormuz will not be safe for petrochemical products or 'single drop of oil and gas' transit as long as US actions in the region continue. The Iranian military added that it targeted US aircraft at Jordan's Aqaba airport with ballistic missiles.

Air raid sirens sounded across Bahrain after Iran carried out a fresh wave of ballistic missiles and one-way attack drones targeting sites in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Iraq. It is worth noting that Canada is a major oil-exporting country, and high crude oil prices generally have a positive impact on the Loonie.

Traders reduce their bets on the US interest rate hike in July after signs of softer inflation in the US, which could weigh on the Greenback. The odds for a Federal Reserve (Fed) rate hike in July stood at 14%, versus a 25% implied chance last week, according to the CME FedWatch tool. However, Fed Governor Christopher Waller warned that policymakers need to see "several months" of sustained cooling before taking rate hikes off the table.

Canadian Dollar FAQs

What key factors drive the Canadian Dollar?

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.

How do the decisions of the Bank of Canada impact 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.

How does the price of Oil impact the Canadian Dollar?

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.

How does inflation data impact the value of the Canadian Dollar?

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.

How does economic data influence the value of 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.

Author

Lallalit Srijandorn

FXStreet

Lallalit Srijandorn is a Parisian at heart. She has lived in France since 2019 and now becomes a digital entrepreneur based in Paris and Bangkok.

AUD/USD climbs toward 0.7000 after strong China data dump

AUD/USD attracts follow-through buyers for the second straight day on Monday, extending last week's recovery toward 0.7000 in Monday's Asian trading. Strong Chniese Q3 GDP and activity data for September strengthen the pair's advance, following RBA Assistant Governor Chris Kent's hawkish remarks.

USD/JPY struggles near 158.00 amid hawkish BoJ, subdued USD

USD/JPY remains defensive near 158.00 in the Asian session on Monday, as the US Dollar remains depressed near a two-week low amid the recent decline in US bond yields. Furthermore, looming intervention risks underpin the Japanese Yen and weigh on the pair amid BoJ Governor Kazuo Ueda's hawkish remarks. However, Fed rate-hike bets and geopolitical uncertainties could limit USD losses and the major.

Gold bulls hesitant below $4,200 as Fed risks and firmer USD cap intraday gains

Gold struggles to capitalize on modest intraday gains and remains below the $4,200 mark, well within a three-week-old trading range. US Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh’s unwillingness to offer fresh cues on further policy moves forced investors to price out the possibility of policy tightening later this month. Moreover, the recent sharp pullback in US government bond yields from multi-year highs, which dragged the US Dollar to a two-week low on Friday, acts as a tailwind for bullion.

Pi Network: Weak momentum and waning demand reinforce downside bias

Pi Network edges lower, risking a bearish conclusion to its short-term consolidation above the $0.0774 horizontal support. A steady decline in the notional value of active PI futures contracts and the weekly spot trading volume suggests reduced retail demand. The PI token risks a retest of its record low around $0.0704 as bearish momentum remains dominant on the daily chart.

Canada CPI expected to show a pick-up in inflation in September

Canada’s September CPI figures will be the focus of attention on Monday. Indeed, Statistics Canada data will provide markets with an update on price pressures ahead of the BoC’s October 28 gathering, when officials are expected to keep the interest rate steady at 2.25%, broadly in line with analyst consensus.

Everyone's dumping Gold after hot US inflation. Here's why $4,100 could be a floor, not a cliff

Gold (XAU/USD) is recovering from a sharp sell-off triggered by hotter-than-expected United States (US) inflation data released on Wednesday. The precious metal briefly plunged toward $4,073 as investors increased their bets on further Federal Reserve (Fed) interest rate hikes before recovering as US Treasury yields and the US Dollar (USD) reversed their initial gains.