USD/CAD – Canadian Dollar Inches Higher, Investors Search for Cues

The Canadian dollar has ticked lower in the Friday session. Currently, USD/CAD is trading at 1.2715, up 0.05% on the day. On the release front, there are no major indicators. Canada releases Corporate Profits, and the US will publish manufacturing and services PMIs.

Janet Yellen is winding up her term as head of the Federal Reserve, with Jerome Powell taking over in February. Yellen has consistently said that she expects inflation levels to pick up, but earlier in the week she admitted that she is “very uncertain” about this, adding that she and other Fed policymakers are not sure if low inflation is transitory. Wage growth has also been lackluster, despite the labor market being a full capacity. Despite the lack of inflation, investors expect a rate hike in December, and up to three rate hikes in 2018. The markets have priced in a December hike at 91%, and the odds of a January raise are at 89%.

Although few would argue that the NAFTA trade agreement has benefited the economies of the US, Canada and Mexico, the agreement could be in trouble. A fifth round of talks over NAFTA failed to lead to significant progress, prompting the US to send an ominous warning to Canada and Mexico. The US wants to raise the North American content of vehicles from 62.5% to 85% and require that 50% of content come from the US. As well, the US wants to put restrictions on Canadian and Mexican agriculture. Unsurprisingly, Mexico and Canada have rejected these proposals. Negotiators are hoping to wrap up a new deal by March 2018, but the US chief negotiator warned that “absent rebalancing, we will not reach a satisfactory result”. The uncertainty over NAFTA could weaken confidence in the Canadian economy, and may lead the Bank of Canada to delay rate hikes while the negotiations continue.

USD/CAD Fundamentals 

Friday (November 24)

• 8:30 Canadian Corporate Profits
• 9:45 US Flash Manufacturing PMI. Estimate 55.1
• 9:45 US Flash Services PMI. Estimate 55.5

*All release times are GMT

*Key events are in bold

USD/CAD for Friday, November 24, 2017

USD/CAD, November 24 at 7:25 EDT

Open: 1.2709 High: 1.2747 Low: 1.2709 Close: 1.2715

USD/CAD Technical

USD/CAD inched higher in the Asian session and has edged upwards in European trade

• 12630 is providing support
• 1.2757 is a weak resistance line
• Current range: 1.2630 to 1.2757

Further levels in both directions:

• Below: 1.2630, 1.2532 and 1.2432
• Above: 1.2757, 1.2860, 1.3015 and 1.3165

OANDA’s Open Positions Ratio

USD/CAD ratio is unchanged in the Friday session. Currently, long positions have a majority (56%), indicative of trader bias towards USD/CAD reversing directions and moving higher.

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.