CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Open account
☰
CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.
Open account
✖

USDCAD Bulls on Parade Where Will the Stampede Stop

Article By: ,  Financial Analyst
August 3, 2015 2:52 PM

As my colleague Fawad Razaqzada noted earlier today, the big market theme at the start of this week is persistent weakness in oil prices. Both the WTI and Brent contracts are at new multi-month lows this morning and are within sight of the multi-year lows set earlier in 2015 after record high oil output from OPEC (see “Crude Extends Decline on Record OPEC Oil Output” for more).

Beyond the oil market itself, this move is also having a spillover effect on other major markets as well. Predictably, US-traded energy stocks (XLE) are trading down 0.5% in premarket trade, but the moves in the forex market are arguably more interesting. The oil-linked currencies of Russia and Norway are both on the back foot, with USDNOK probing its 4-month high around 8.25 and USDRUB at a 5-month high of 62.50.

The most widely-followed oil-linked currency is the Canadian dollar, and as we anticipated last week, USDCAD has now broken out to a new 11-year high above 1.3100 so far today. While today’s drop in oil prices served as the fundamental catalyst, the technical picture for USDCAD has been pointing higher for the last several weeks. After breaking out above previous resistance at 1.2800, the pair rallied all the way to its 11-year high in the 1.3060-1.3100 zone before pulling back modestly to support at its 20-day MA, alleviating the overbought condition in the RSI indicator in the process.. Friday’s clear Bullish Engulfing Candle* hinted that the buyers were regaining the upper hand and foreshadowed today’s big breakout.

Looking ahead, the pair’s bias will remain to the topside as long as we hold above previous-resistance-turned-support in the 1.3060-1.3100 zone. The MACD has seemingly turned higher once again, heralding the return of bullish momentum, and the RSI continues to show “good” overbought readings, with the indicator oscillating around the 70 level and no major pullbacks in USDCAD itself. From here, there’s hardly any technical resistance standing in the way of the bullish stampede. Buyers may want to focus on the round 100-pip handles at 1.3200 and 1.3300 as possible resistance, and above those levels sits the 161.8% Fibonacci extension of this year’s dip at 1.3400. Meanwhile, the bullish trend will remain healthy as long as the 20-day MA serves as near-term support.

Key Economic Data / News that Could Impact USDCAD This Week (all times GMT):

  • Today: US ISM Manufacturing PMI (14:00)
  • Tuesday: US Factory Orders (14:00)
  • Wednesday: US ADP Non-Farm Employment Report (12:15), US and Canadian Trade Balance data (12:30), US ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI (14:00), Crude Oil Inventory Data (14:30)
  • Thursday: US Initial Unemployment Claims (12:30)
  • Friday: Canadian Building Permits, Canadian Employment Report, US Non-Farm Payrolls report (12:30), Canadian Ivey PMI (14:00)

*A Bullish Engulfing candle is formed when the candle breaks below the low of the previous time period before buyers step in and push rates up to close above the high of the previous time period. It indicates that the buyers have wrested control of the market from the sellers.

Source: City Index

StoneX Financial Ltd (trading as “City Index”) is an execution-only service provider. This material, whether or not it states any opinions, is for general information purposes only and it does not take into account your personal circumstances or objectives. This material has been prepared using the thoughts and opinions of the author and these may change. However, City Index does not plan to provide further updates to any material once published and it is not under any obligation to keep this material up to date. This material is short term in nature and may only relate to facts and circumstances existing at a specific time or day. Nothing in this material is (or should be considered to be) financial, investment, legal, tax or other advice and no reliance should be placed on it.

No opinion given in this material constitutes a recommendation by City Index or the author that any particular investment, security, transaction or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person. The material has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research. Although City Index is not specifically prevented from dealing before providing this material, City Index does not seek to take advantage of the material prior to its dissemination. This material is not intended for distribution to, or use by, any person in any country or jurisdiction where such distribution or use would be contrary to local law or regulation.

For further details see our full non-independent research disclaimer and quarterly summary.

CFDs are complex instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. 69% of retail investor accounts lose money when trading CFDs with this provider. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. CFD and Forex Trading are leveraged products and your capital is at risk. They may not be suitable for everyone. Please ensure you fully understand the risks involved by reading our full risk warning.

City Index is a trading name of StoneX Financial Ltd. Head and Registered Office: 1st Floor, Moor House, 120 London Wall, London, EC2Y 5ET. StoneX Financial Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales, number: 05616586. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FCA Register Number: 446717.

City Index is a trademark of StoneX Financial Ltd.

The information on this website is not targeted at the general public of any particular country. It is not intended for distribution to residents in any country where such distribution or use would contravene any local law or regulatory requirement.

© City Index 2024