US jobs indicator signals early signs of stress, CAD rides positive momentum after BoC hike
Bearish momentum accelerates as CAD continues positive momentum – ‘death cross’ and major support will be tested
nitial jobless claims out of the US flashed another early warning signal regarding the otherwise robust job market. 261 thousand people were newly unemployed as of the week of 3 June and represented the second time in recent prints that the data point exceeded estimates. As a result, the dollar sold-off, seeing an extended move to the downside for USD/CAD
The pair now shows renewed downside momentum and has broken beneath the longer-term channel that has contained the majority of price action. In fact, the move now tests the long-term trendline support that has witnessed multiple tests, none of which were successful.
The ‘death cross’ - circled in orange – provides further indications of a bearish continuation from here. A daily and weekly candle close below the trendline would naturally have bears looking at 1.3230 as the next level of support with the level coinciding with the November 2022 swing low. Breakouts often retrace to retest support/resistance and so a true test of a potential bearish breakdown would be a successful test of the trendline which would effectively become resistance, and subsequent selling thereafter.
Should CAD momentum wane and the US dollar look to claw back lost ground, a hold of trendline support will be key. If the bearish momentum were to falter, 1.3503 would be the next level of interest with an invalidation of the bearish viewpoint around 1.3600 and 1.3650.
The weekly chart reveals the 61.8% and 50% Fibonacci retracements of the major 2020 to 2021 sell-off - roughly the zone that has been housing price action for the last quarter of 2022 and 2023 this far.
Canadian employment data may attract a few more eyes than normal given the uptick in US initial jobless claims yesterday – which caused a notable response in the dollar and highlights FX market’s sensitivity to incoming data.
Next week crucial US inflation data provides another opportunity for core inflation to finally move below the recent 5.5% - 5.7% multi-month range. A softer inflation print could see downward revisions in future rate expectations and may see the USD/CAD head even lower from here.
After the RBA and BoC surprised markets with hikes in June, could the Fed follow suit? In my opinion I think it would be a tough ask, given how vocal prominent members of the Fed have been about voting to forgo a hike next week with the possibility of a hike in July should the data necessitate one. The Fed will also release its quarterly summary of economic projections which ought to provide markets with a better idea of the economic outlook. US PPI will also factor into the inflation conversation but any surprises there will need to be factored into next month’s FOMC meeting.
Granted USD/CAD has been sideways for months, but conditions could be getting ripe for a trend. USD/CAD is testing vital converged support around 1.3220-1.3320, a break below which could clear the way for a drop initially toward the psychological 1.3000, potentially toward the August low of 1.2725.
Moreover, the IG Client Sentiment (IGCS) shows 70% of retail traders are net-long with the ratio of long to short at 2.3 to 1. The number of traders net-long is a whopping 74% higher from last week. RSI above 200.
Trend Bullish.
The Canadian dollar may have just received the boost to extend gains against some of its peers, thanks to the Bank of Canada’s (BOC) hike on Wednesday.
BOC hiked its overnight rate to a 22-year high of 4.75%, saying “concerns have increased that CPI inflation could get stuck materially above the 2% target.” The central bank, however, dropped the April language saying it “remains prepared to raise the policy rate further”, making it more data dependent. Markets are pricing in another rate hike in July, with the terminal rate seen at 5.15% by the end of the year.
Bearish momentum accelerates as CAD continues positive momentum – ‘death cross’ and major support will be tested
nitial jobless claims out of the US flashed another early warning signal regarding the otherwise robust job market. 261 thousand people were newly unemployed as of the week of 3 June and represented the second time in recent prints that the data point exceeded estimates. As a result, the dollar sold-off, seeing an extended move to the downside for USD/CAD
The pair now shows renewed downside momentum and has broken beneath the longer-term channel that has contained the majority of price action. In fact, the move now tests the long-term trendline support that has witnessed multiple tests, none of which were successful.
The ‘death cross’ - circled in orange – provides further indications of a bearish continuation from here. A daily and weekly candle close below the trendline would naturally have bears looking at 1.3230 as the next level of support with the level coinciding with the November 2022 swing low. Breakouts often retrace to retest support/resistance and so a true test of a potential bearish breakdown would be a successful test of the trendline which would effectively become resistance, and subsequent selling thereafter.
Should CAD momentum wane and the US dollar look to claw back lost ground, a hold of trendline support will be key. If the bearish momentum were to falter, 1.3503 would be the next level of interest with an invalidation of the bearish viewpoint around 1.3600 and 1.3650.
The weekly chart reveals the 61.8% and 50% Fibonacci retracements of the major 2020 to 2021 sell-off - roughly the zone that has been housing price action for the last quarter of 2022 and 2023 this far.
Canadian employment data may attract a few more eyes than normal given the uptick in US initial jobless claims yesterday – which caused a notable response in the dollar and highlights FX market’s sensitivity to incoming data.
Next week crucial US inflation data provides another opportunity for core inflation to finally move below the recent 5.5% - 5.7% multi-month range. A softer inflation print could see downward revisions in future rate expectations and may see the USD/CAD head even lower from here.
After the RBA and BoC surprised markets with hikes in June, could the Fed follow suit? In my opinion I think it would be a tough ask, given how vocal prominent members of the Fed have been about voting to forgo a hike next week with the possibility of a hike in July should the data necessitate one. The Fed will also release its quarterly summary of economic projections which ought to provide markets with a better idea of the economic outlook. US PPI will also factor into the inflation conversation but any surprises there will need to be factored into next month’s FOMC meeting.
Granted USD/CAD has been sideways for months, but conditions could be getting ripe for a trend. USD/CAD is testing vital converged support around 1.3220-1.3320, a break below which could clear the way for a drop initially toward the psychological 1.3000, potentially toward the August low of 1.2725.
Moreover, the IG Client Sentiment (IGCS) shows 70% of retail traders are net-long with the ratio of long to short at 2.3 to 1. The number of traders net-long is a whopping 74% higher from last week. RSI above 200.
Trend Bullish.
The Canadian dollar may have just received the boost to extend gains against some of its peers, thanks to the Bank of Canada’s (BOC) hike on Wednesday.
BOC hiked its overnight rate to a 22-year high of 4.75%, saying “concerns have increased that CPI inflation could get stuck materially above the 2% target.” The central bank, however, dropped the April language saying it “remains prepared to raise the policy rate further”, making it more data dependent. Markets are pricing in another rate hike in July, with the terminal rate seen at 5.15% by the end of the year.
US Dollar Index grinds near the lowest levels in three weeks after snapping two-day winning streak.
US inflation data bolsters market’s bets on Fed’s status quo and weigh on the DXY despite upbeat yields.
Cautious mood ahead of the FOMC announcements put a floor under the US Dollar price.
Expectations of witnessing a hawkish halt from US central bank highlight qualitative updates from the Fed.
US Dollar Index (DXY) steadies above 103.00, after bouncing off a three-week low, as markets brace for the Federal Reserve (Fed) announcements on Wednesday. The greenback’s gauge versus six major currencies slumped the most in a week, to the lowest levels since May 22, after the US inflation data fuelled speculations of the US central bank’s halt to the rate hike trajectory present in the last 10 monetary policy meetings.
As per the latest US inflation data for May, the headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) drops more-than-expected and prior releases to 0.1% MoM and 4.0% YoY. However, the Core CPI, known as the CPI ex Food & Energy, matches 0.4% monthly and 5.3% yearly forecasts. It’s worth noting that the US headline CPI dropped to the lowest since March 2021 and hence justifies the market’s expectations of the US Federal Reserve (Fed) hawkish halt, which in turn should have weighed on the US Dollar.
Following the data, the CME’s FedWatch Tool suggests more than a 90% chance of the US Federal Reserve’s (Fed) no rate hike during today’s monetary policy meeting, versus around 75% chance before that.
It’s worth noting, however, that the ex-Fed Officials have been pushing for a hawkish halt to the rate hikes and prods the DXY bears. On Tuesday, Former Dallas Federal Reserve Bank (Fed) President Robert Kaplan said that he would support a "hawkish pause" at this week's meeting while also adding that he would “leave the question of a July hike open.” Previously, Ex-Boston Fed President Eric Rosengren tweeted, “Expect a hawkish skip this week.”
As a result, Wall Street benchmarks rose for the second consecutive day but the US Treasury bond yields remain firmer. That said, the US 10-year Treasury bond yields rose to a 13-day high of 3.83% whereas the two-year counterpart poked the highest levels in three months with 4.70% mark before easing to 4.67% in the last hours.
Looking ahead, the pre-Fed sentiment may prod the DXY, as well as allow the greenback’s gauge to pare recent losses. However, the traders will pay attention to the US central bank’s economic forecasts, dot-plot and Chairman Jerome Powell’s press conference for clear directions afterward, as the rate hike pause is almost given.