USD/CAD Price Analysis: Keeps the red, above 200-hour SMA post-US/Canadian macro data

USD/CAD has been oscillating in a range over the past one week, forming a rectangle.
The range-bound price action points to indecision over the next leg of a directional move.
Neutral oscillators further warrant some caution for aggressive traders ahead of FOMC.

Haresh Menghani FXStreet

The USD/CAD pair remained depressed through the early North American session and moved little following the release of US Retail Sales/Canadian consumer inflation figures. The pair was seen flirting with daily lows, around 200-hour SMA or levels just above mid-1.3100s.

Looking at the technical picture, the pair has been oscillating in a range over the past one week or so, forming a rectangle on short-term charts. The formation exhibits indecision between buyers and sellers, warranting some caution before placing any aggressive directional bets.

Moreover, neutral technical indicators on daily/hourly charts haven't been supportive of any firm near-term direction. The set-up further makes it prudent to wait for a sustained breakthrough the recent trading range as the focus remains on the highly anticipated FOMC decision.

Some follow-through weakness below the 1.3135-30 horizontal support will be seen as a fresh trigger for bearish traders. The pair might then turn vulnerable to break below the 1.3100 mark and accelerate the slide further towards the recent daily closing lows support near the 1.3045 region.

Conversely, bullish traders might still need to wait for a sustained move beyond the 1.3200 handle, above which the pair is likely to jump back to monthly tops, around the 1.3260 region. The subsequent momentum has the potential to lift the pair further towards the 1.3300 round-figure mark.

USD/CAD 1-hourly chart

Technical levels to watch

USD/CAD

Overview
Today last price	1.3164
Today Daily Change	-0.0022
Today Daily Change %	-0.17
Today daily open	1.3186

Trends
Daily SMA20	1.3145
Daily SMA50	1.3301
Daily SMA100	1.3523
Daily SMA200	1.352

Levels
Previous Daily High	1.3202
Previous Daily Low	1.3135
Previous Weekly High	1.326
Previous Weekly Low	1.3053
Previous Monthly High	1.3451
Previous Monthly Low	1.302
Daily Fibonacci 38.2%	1.3177
Daily Fibonacci 61.8%	1.3161
Daily Pivot Point S1	1.3147
Daily Pivot Point S2	1.3107
Daily Pivot Point S3	1.3079
Daily Pivot Point R1	1.3214
Daily Pivot Point R2	1.3242
Daily Pivot Point R3	1.3282

Author

Haresh Menghani

FXStreet

Haresh Menghani is a detail-oriented professional with 10+ years of extensive experience in analysing the global financial markets.

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