Cdn. dollar calm in thin holiday trade

The Canadian dollar is a reliable bellwether of risk sentiment and the sharp volatility we’re seeing from the currency is a reflection of the uncertainty of the times. In particular, Omicron, the newest variant of Covid has unleashed itself across the globe, as countries scramble to close their borders and take other health measures in the hopes of curbing Omicron’s impact. The good news is that most reports have shown that Omicron is believed to be far milder than Delta, which hopefully means that this latest Covid wave will not cause as much devastation as Delta. However, there is no question that Omicron is far more contagious than Delta and poses a serious health hazard to unvaccinated people, which could potentially overload hospitals.

Volatility could continue for loonie

The uncertainty surrounding Omicron has resulted in significant volatility in the financial markets, with every headline being a potential market-mover. Risk-sensitive currencies such as the Canadian, Australian and New Zealand dollars all suffered sharp losses in November, when Omicron fears where sky-high and risk sentiment sank. We’ve seen risk appetite improve in December, thanks to the reports of Omicron being less severe. This has allowed the risk-sensitive currencies to hold their own in December. With a very light economic calendar this week and thin liquidity, any news about Omicron could send the Canadian dollar for a ride.

Canadian markets are closed today and Tuesday, and there are no Canadian releases this week. The lack of liquidity this week means that Omicron headlines could cause sharp intra-day movement, or the markets could have an uneventful Christmas week as investors focus on crackling fireplaces and eggnog rather than the latest Omicron headline.

.

USD/CAD Technical

• • USD/CAD has support at 1.2756. Below, there is support at 1.2615
  • There is resistance at 1.2987. Above, there is resistance at 1.3077

Content 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 Business Information & Services, Inc. or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers or directors. If you would like to reproduce or redistribute any of the content found on MarketPulse, an award winning forex, commodities and global indices analysis and news site service produced by OANDA Business Information & Services, Inc., please access the RSS feed or contact us at info@marketpulse.com. Visit https://www.marketpulse.com/ to find out more about the beat of the global markets. © 2023 OANDA Business Information & Services Inc.