- USD/CAD moves higher above 1.0700 on multiple tailwinds.
- The US Dollar rebounds after upbeat Q1 Employment Cost Index data.
- Weaker-than-expected Canadian GDP weighs on the Canadian Dollar.
The USD/CAD pair rises above the crucial resistance of 1.3700 in Tuesday’s early American session. The Loonie asset strengthens as the US Dollar extends recovery after the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported stronger-than-expected Q1 Employment Cost Index data.
The agency reported that the Labor Cost Index rose sharply by 1.2% from the consensus of 1.0% and the prior reading of 0.9%. The US Dollar Index (DXY) rebounds to near 106.00. The Highest Labor Cost index is broadly driven by strong wage growth, which eventually leads to an increase in households’ spending, suggesting a stubborn inflation outlook.
This is expected to allow the Federal Reserve (Fed) to keep rate cuts off the table and maintain the restrictive interest rate framework for a longer period. For more concrete interest rate outlook, investors will focus on the Fed’s monetary policy announcement on Wednesday. The Fed is expected to keep interest rates steady in the range of 5.25%-5.50%. For the interest rate guidance, the Fed reiterates the need to keep interest rates higher for a long time until it gains confidence that inflation will sustainably return to the desired rate of 2%.
Apart from a rebound in the US Dollar, the weak Canadian Dollar has also exerted pressure on the Loonie asset. The monthly Canadian Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew at a slower pace of 0.2% from the estimates of 0.3% and the prior reading of 0.5%, downwardly revised from 0.6%. This indicates the consequences of higher interest rates by the Bank of Canada (BoC). The BoC may start reducing interest rates sooner due to weak growth and consistently softening price pressures. Traders have priced in the June meeting from when the BoC could pivot to interest rate cuts.
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended content
Editors’ Picks
AUD/USD holds steady below 0.6700 after RBA Minutes
AUD/USD is trading flat below 0.7000, a little impressed by the hawkish Minutes of the RBA's May policy meeting. Souring risk sentiment also keep the recovery attempts elusive in the Aussie pair ahead of more Fedspeak.
USD/JPY extends gains to near 156.50, tracking positive US yields
USD/JPY is extending previous gains to test 156.50, despite the comments from Japan's Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki. The pair stays supported amid an uptick in the US Treasury bond yields and the US Dollar after Fed officials adopted a cautious stance on the inflation and policy outlook.
Gold price extends its upside as investors bet on rate cuts
Gold price extends the rally on Tuesday after retracing from a record high earlier. The renewed gold demand is bolstered by higher bets on interest rate cuts from the US Federal Reserve, ongoing geopolitical tensions, along with the strong demand stemming from central banks and Asian buyers.
New York Attorney General reaches $2 billion settlement with Genesis after claims of fraud
After a lawsuit filed by the New York Attorney General against crypto lender Genesis in late 2023, the company reached a settlement of $2 billion with the AG on Monday.
The market-moving data this week comes from everywhere other than the US
The market-moving data this week comes from everywhere other than the US. We get inflation from the UK, Canada, and Japan, possibly shifting central bank outlooks. The Fed releases FOMC minutes on Wednesday. And we get a slew of PMI’s on Thursday.