Week in FX Americas – Canada Bests US Jobs by a Country Mile

It’s not true – the Toronto Star did not hire an extra +35k employee to follow their beleaguered Mayor. Canada posted an eye-popping, decade best, +95k new jobs in May. To understand somewhat the significance of the print – by superimposing it on its largest trading partners economy, the US, that’s the equivalent of nearly +1-million new jobs being created down south. In contrast, the US managed to edge market expectations by a whisker, printing+175k new jobs in May.

Both countries unemployment rates are heading in opposite direction. Canada has managed to shave 2/10th off theirs, to report a +7.1% unemployment rate, while the US adds a 1/0th to up theirs to +7.6%. However, buyer loonie beware. This Canadian jobs report should be taken with a grain of salt, as one employment report does not completely change a trend.

Least we forget, in March Canada’s commodity, interest rate sensitive sister country down-under, Australia happened to release a similarly strong report (+71.5k), allowing the AUD to scream higher to only quickly reverse both the currency and job gains the next month. Fundamentals aside, a large percentage of speculators are short the CAD at higher levels and this markets swift move, especially the EUR/CAD will keep the commodity favored currency bid in the short term.

WEEK AHEAD

* CNY New Yuan Loans
* JPY Bank of Japan Monetary Policy Statement
* JPY Bank of Japan Rate Decision
* JPY BOJ Target Rate
* GBP Gross Domestic Product Estimate
* NZD Reserve Bank of New Zealand Rate Decision
* AUD Unemployment Rate
* AUD Employment Change
* EUR ECB Publishes Monthly Report
* USD Advance Retail Sales
* JPY Bank of Japan May 21-22 meeting minutes
* USD U. of Michigan Confidence

This article is for general information purposes only. It is not investment advice or a solution to buy or sell securities. Opinions are the authors; not necessarily that of OANDA Corporation or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. Leveraged trading is high risk and not suitable for all. You could lose all of your deposited funds.

Dean Popplewell

Dean Popplewell

Vice-President of Market Analysis at MarketPulse
Dean Popplewell has nearly two decades of experience trading currencies and fixed income instruments.
He has a deep understanding of market fundamentals and the impact of global events on capital markets.
He is respected among professional traders for his skilled analysis and career history as global head
of trading for firms such as Scotia Capital and BMO Nesbitt Burns. Since joining OANDA in 2006, Dean
has played an instrumental role in driving awareness of the forex market as an emerging asset class
for retail investors, as well as providing expert counsel to a number of internal teams on how to best
serve clients and industry stakeholders.
Dean Popplewell