Market News
Canadian dollar bounces from 3-week low as oil rallies - REUTERS
By Fergal Smith
- Canadian dollar gains 0.2% against the greenback
- Touches its weakest since Aug. 21 at 1.3622
- Price of U.S. oil increases 2.8%
- Bond yields rise across a flatter curve
TORONTO, Sept 11 (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar rebounded from a three-week low against its U.S. counterpart on Wednesday as oil prices rallied and despite American inflation data that tempered expectations for an oversized interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve.
The loonie was trading 0.2% higher at 1.3580 to the U.S. dollar, or 73.64 U.S. cents, after earlier touching its weakest level since Aug. 21 at 1.3622.
"The correlation between oil and the Canadian dollar is increasing," said Bipan Rai, head of ETF and structured solutions strategy at BMO Global Asset Management. "That could be an important theme to follow into the end of this year."
The price of oil, one of Canada's major exports, clawed back some recent declines as a drop in U.S. crude inventories and concern about disruptions to U.S. output from Hurricane Francine countered concerns about weak global demand. U.S. crude oil futures were up 2.8% at $67.60 a barrel.
U.S. consumer prices rose slightly in August, but underlying inflation showed some stickiness amid higher costs for housing and other services, further dashing hopes of a half-point interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve next week.
"It really does look like 25 basis points from the Fed next week should be the base case scenario," Rai said.
The Bank of Canada has cut its benchmark interest rate three times since June, lowering the rate by a total of 75 basis points to 4.25%.
Growth in Canada's economy is likely to fall well short of the central bank's forecast in the third quarter, economists said this week.
Canadian government bond yields moved higher across a flatter curve, tracking moves in U.S. Treasuries.
The 10-year was up 2.7 basis points at 2.925%, after earlier touching its lowest level since May 2023 at 2.872%.
