USD/CAD has posted slight losses in the Monday session. Currently, the pair is trading at 1.3496, down 0.15% on the day. On the release front, the focus is on manufacturing data. Canada releases manufacturing PMI. In April, the indicator dropped to 49.7, which shows contraction. The U.S. releases ISM manufacturing PMI, which has pointed to expansion in recent months. The April estimate stands at 53.0.
Canada’s economy grew by 0.5% in March, above the estimate of 0.4%. This was an impressive rebound from February, when GDP declined by 0.1%. Despite the positive news, the Canadian dollar was unable to gain ground on Friday, as trade tensions continue to weigh on minor currencies like the Canadian dollar.
The Canadian dollar is sensitive to trade risks, and lost ground on Friday after President Trump threatened to slap tariffs on all Mexican products, due to the illegal immigration crisis. Although Trump said that tariffs would be set at just 5%, risk appetite has fallen, sending the Canadian dollar lower. There was more negative news out of China, as manufacturing PMI dipped into contraction territory, with a reading of 49.4, shy of the estimate of 49.9 points. The Chinese economy has been hit hard by the trade war with the U.S., which has weakened global demand. This, in turn, has hurt export-reliant economies such as Canada, which has weighed on the Canadian dollar.
