USD/CAD remains depressed around mid-1.3500s amid softer USD, rising Oil prices

The USD/CAD pair remains under some selling pressure for the fourth successive day on Thursday and drops to over a one-month low during the first half of the European session. The pair, however, manages to rebound a few pips in the last hour and is currently placed around mid-1.3500s, down less than 0.10% for the day.

The prevalent risk-on environment - as depicted by an extension of the recent rally in the equity markets - exerts fresh downward pressure on the safe-haven US Dollar (USD) and turns out to be a key factor acting as a headwind for the USD/CAD pair. The takeover of Silicon Valley Bank by First Citizens Bank & Trust Company helped calmed market nerves about the contagion risk. Furthermore, no further cracks have emerged in the banking sector over the past two weeks, which suggests that a full-blown banking crisis might have been averted and drives flows away from traditional safe-haven assets, including the Greenback.

Apart from a modest USD weakness, a fresh leg up in Crude Oil prices underpins the commodity-linked Loonie and contributes to the offered tone surrounding the USD/CAD pair. A surprise drop in US Crude stockpiles to a two-year low and concerns about tightening global supplies assist the black liquid to regain positive traction following the overnight pullback from over a two-week high. In fact, the Energy Information Administration reported an unexpected fall in US inventories to a two-year low
during the week of March 24. Moreover, exports from Iraq's northern region remain halted and lend support to Oil prices.

The USD/CAD pair, however, manages to find some support ahead of a technically significant 100-day Simple Moving Average (SMA) as traders keenly await the US inflation data due on Friday. The US Core PCE Price Index - the Fed's preferred inflation gauge - will play a key role in influencing market expectations about future rate hikes. This, in turn, will drive the USD demand and provide a fresh directional impetus to the major. 

Technical levels to watch