The Canadian dollar continues to trade sideways this week. In the Wednesday session, the pair is trading at 1.2576, down 0.14% on the day. On the release front, there are no Canadian indicators for a third straight day. In the US, the markets are expecting mixed inflation numbers. Core CPI is expected to expected to edge lower to 0.2%, while CPI is forecast to improve to 0.1%. The US will also release retail sales reports. Retail Sales is forecast to slow to 0.2%, while Core CPI is forecast to accelerate to 0.5%. Traders should be prepared for movement on the currency markets during the North American session.
It’s been a rough February for the Canadian dollar, which has declined 2.4%. The loonie lost ground during last week’s massive sell-off in the stock markets, as nervous investors lost their risk appetite and scurried away from minor currencies such as the Canadian dollar. However, the country’s economic fundamentals remain solid, and the Bank of Canada is expected to raise rates twice more this year, after hiking rates in January. If oil prices remain high and the economy remains strong, there is room for the Canadian dollar to gain ground. However, there are some worrying clouds not too far off. These include uncertainties over the NAFTA trade agreement and the possibility that the Federal Reserve will accelerate the pace of its rate hikes, putting more pressure on the Canadian dollar.
Global stock markets have steadied after last week’s turbulence, but investors remain wary. Wednesday’s US inflation numbers will be closely watched, as inflation fears was a key catalyst of the massive sell-off. The new head of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, sought to send a reassuring message on Tuesday, saying that the Fed is on alert to any risks to financial stability. However, it is clear that the Fed’s hand is limited when it comes to stock markets moves, and the volatility which we saw last week could resume at any time.
