|

USD/CAD: Markets mull tariff threat – Scotiabank

Spot is little changed on the day as the Canadian Dollar (CAD) consolidates. CAD sentiment has taken a hit in the wake of Trump’s tariff threats but sentiment was already pretty weak anyway and, after the initial CAD slide on the headlines Tuesday evening, USDCAD has tended to drift modestly lower. More CAD losses seem inevitable unless the Canadian government can muster a response that satisfies the incoming administration quickly, however. That may not be easy, Scotiabank’s Chief FX Strategist Shaun Osborne notes.

CAD trades little changed on the session

“Trump’s recently named ‘border czar’ Tom Homan recently called the northern border 'an extreme national security issue' which suggests an quick fix to the president-elect’s concerns may be elusive. The risk of 25% tariffs remains just that at the moment but the longer the threat lingers and the closer we get to the inauguration, the weaker the CAD may trade.”

“Consolidation remains the name of the game for the CAD. Spot movement since the late Monday peak suggests a firm rejection of 1.41+ levels on the short-term chart for now but there broader pattern of trade also suggests the USD is consolidating ahead of another push higher at this point.”

“USD losses are likely to remain well-supported on minor dips to the 1.4000/25 area for now and the CAD really needs to push back through the 1.3945/50 area to show any sort of rebound potential.”

Author

FXStreet Insights Team

The FXStreet Insights Team is a group of journalists that handpicks selected market observations published by renowned experts. The content includes notes by commercial as well as additional insights by internal and external analysts.

More from FXStreet Insights Team
Share:

Editor's Picks

EUR/USD deflates to fresh lows, targets 1.1600

The selling pressure on EUR/USD now gathers extra pace, prompting the pair to hit fresh multi-week lows in the 1.1625-1.1620 band on Friday. The continuation of the downward bias comes in response to further gains in the US Dollar as market participants continue to assess the mixed release of US Nonfarm Payrolls in December.

GBP/USD breaks below 1.3400, challenges the 200-day SMA

GBP/USD remains under heavy fire and retreats for the fourth consecutive day on Friday. Indeed, Cable suffers the strong performance of the Greenback, intensified post-mixed NFP, and trades at shouting distance from its critical 200-day SMA near 1.3380.

Gold flirts with yearly tops around $4,500

Gold keeps its positive bias on Friday, adding to Thursday’s advance and challenging yearly highs in the $4,500 region per troy ounce. The risk-off sentiment favours the yellow metal despite the firmer tone in the Greenback and rising US Treasury yields.

Crypto Today: Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP risk further decline as market fear persists amid slowing demand

Bitcoin holds $90,000 but stays below the 50-day EMA as institutional demand wanes. Ethereum steadies above $3,000 but remains structurally weak due to ETF outflows. XRP ETFs resume inflows, but the price struggles to gain ground above key support.

Week ahead – US CPI might challenge the geopolitics-boosted Dollar

Geopolitics may try to steal the limelight from US data. A possible US Supreme Court ruling on tariffs could dictate market movements. A crammed data calendar next week, US CPI comes on Tuesday; Fedspeak to intensify.

XRP trades under pressure amid weak retail demand

XRP presses down on the 50-day EMA support as risk-averse sentiment spreads despite a positive start to 2026. XRP faces declining retail demand, as reflected in futures Open Interest, which has fallen to $4.15 billion.