CAD

Facts:

• The pair is testing the +1 standard deviation line of the anchored VWAP, calculated from 2 January 2025
• Canada is one of the world’s leading oil exporters

Recommendation:

• Long position on USDCAD at market price
• SL: 1.35575
• Target Price: 1.38880

Opinion:

The USD/CAD pair is currently trading around 1.3647, within a support zone defined by key volume patterns from the volume profile built since the start of 2025. Both the Stop Loss (1.35575) and Take Profit (1.38880) levels have been set in relation to the largest volume clusters visible on the profile – zones of historically high market activity which act as strong technical barriers. The price is approaching the lower boundary of a multi-month consolidation phase, and the 1.3620–1.3660 zone has repeatedly acted as a support level triggering upward movements, which confirms the validity of opening a technical long position.

The key fundamental argument is the CAD’s dependence on oil prices – Canada is one of the leading exporters of crude oil, and the Canadian dollar functions de facto as a petrodollar, meaning that any further falls in oil prices directly weaken the CAD and support an increase in USD/CAD. Given the growing oversupply in the oil market and the expected increase in production by OPEC countries, the risk of continued pressure on oil prices remains real, which further favours the long side on this pair, following a fairly significant depreciation over the long term.

Although the money markets are pricing in a more hawkish shift in the Bank of Canada’s stance in the future compared to the current one, the spread in short-term yields between the US and Canada (1M: 3.64 vs. 2.25) still points to a carry trade in favour of the USD. However, we recommend exercising particular caution, as the fundamental environment for this pair may change rapidly and thus undermine the current basis for this recommendation.

Source: xStation

Methodology and assumptions:

The recommendation is based on a technical and fundamental analysis of the USD/CAD chart. Classical technical analysis was used to assess the situation and analyse the trend.

• USD/CAD stalls a two-day-old recovery move from a nearly two-month trough amid mixed cues.
• Elevated Oil prices underpin the Loonie, while rising US-Iran tensions benefit the safe-haven USD.
• The technical setup, too, warrants some caution before positioning for any meaningful upside.

The USD/CAD pair struggles to capitalize on a two-day-old recovery move from the 1.3550 area, or its lowest level since March 10, and oscillates in a range during the Asian session on Tuesday. Spot prices currently trade around the 1.3620 area amid a combination of diverging forces.

The risk of a further escalation of tensions in the Middle East amid the US-Iran standoff over the Strait of Hormuz acts as a tailwind for Crude Oil prices, which is seen underpinning the commodity-linked Loonie. This, along with the lack of follow-through US Dollar (USD) buying, keeps a lid on the USD/CAD pair. However, persistent geopolitical uncertainties and hawkish US Federal Reserve (Fed) expectations favor the USD bulls, backing the case for a further appreciating move for the currency pair.

The USD/CAD pair is holding a mildly bearish near-term bias as it remains capped beneath the 100-period Simple Moving Average (SMA) on the 4-hour chart. The said hurdle at 1.3650 coincides with the 23.6% Fibonacci retracement level of the late March-early May downfall and should act as a pivotal point. Momentum indicators are mixed, with the Relative Strength Index nearing the neutral territory at 51 and the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) marginally positive.

The technical setup, in turn, hints at fading downside pressure but not yet a clear bullish reversal while the USD/CAD pair trades below the aforementioned confluence hurdle. A sustained strength beyond, however, should pave the way for further gains towards the 38.2% retracement at 1.3710 and the 50.0% level at 1.3758. The momentum could extend further towards the 61.8% level at 1.3806, which is the prevailing supply zone on the topside.

On the downside, the next meaningful support aligns with the recent swing low around 1.3553, where buyers may attempt to rebuild a base should selling pressure resume.

(The technical analysis of this story was written with the help of an AI tool.)

USD/CAD 4-hour chart

• Iran ceasefire talks stalled over the weekend, with the US blockade and the Strait of Hormuz closure both in place.
• US ISM Manufacturing PMI held at 52.7 in April, missing the 53.0 consensus, while the Prices Paid index surged to 84.6.
• Canada’s S&P Global Manufacturing PMI jumped to 53.3 in April from 50.0 in March, returning the sector to expansion.

USD/CAD edged higher by less than 0.1% on Friday, recovering from an early-session low near 1.3560 to trade around 1.3590. The pair has shed roughly 0.6% on the week after rolling over from the 1.3700 area mid-week, and momentum has appeared sluggish close to 1.3580 as a cluster of small-bodied candles points to indecision.

The US-Iran conflict and the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz remain the dominant drivers, keeping crude oil prices elevated and offering tailwinds to the commodity-linked Canadian Dollar. Ceasefire talks stalled over the weekend with both sides hardening their positions, and the US naval blockade of Iranian ports stays in place despite intermittent administration claims of progress that markets have largely discounted.

The US ISM Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) held at 52.7 in April, narrowly missing the 53.0 consensus, while the Employment Index slumped to 46.4 and the Prices Paid component surged to 84.6, the highest reading in over four years. Canada’s S&P Global Manufacturing PMI jumped to 53.3 from 50.0 in March, returning the sector to expansion. Markets now look ahead to next Friday’s heavy calendar, headlined by US Non-Farm Payrolls (NFP), with consensus pointing to 73K versus 178K previously, and Canadian employment data with the unemployment rate seen unchanged at 6.7%.

USD/CAD 5-minute chart

Technical Analysis

In the five-minute chart, USD/CAD trades at 1.3587, hovering just above the daily open at 1.3580, which now acts as immediate intraday support. The pair has lost upside momentum after earlier gains, while the downward sloping resistance trend line drawn from 1.3680 continues to cap the broader recovery potential. The latest Stochastic RSI reading has retreated toward lower levels, hinting at fading bullish pressure and keeping the near-term tone broadly neutral while price oscillates around the opening level.

On the downside, a clear break back below the 1.3580 daily open would expose softer intraday levels and suggest that sellers are regaining control in the very short term. On the topside, the next meaningful barrier is the descending resistance line coming from 1.3680, and only a sustained move toward that region and a subsequent break higher would start to undermine the broader corrective bias and open the way for a more convincing upside extension.

In the one-hour chart, USD/CAD trades at 1.3589, holding a mildly bearish near-term tone as it remains capped by a downward-sloping trend-line resistance coming in around 1.3680. The lack of nearby moving averages in the dataset keeps the focus on this structural barrier, while the Stochastic RSI has pushed into elevated territory above 70 recently, hinting that upside attempts could face exhaustion below the mentioned trend line.

On the topside, the immediate obstacle is the descending trend-line resistance at 1.3680, and a sustained break above this level would be needed to ease the current bearish pressure and open the way to a stronger recovery. With no clearly defined intraday supports in the provided data, any pullback from current levels would likely see traders looking to prior session lows and intraday swing points below 1.3589 for initial demand, while an inability to challenge 1.3680 would keep the pair vulnerable to further downside probing.

• USD/CAD trades cautiously around 1.3580 amid the US Dollar’s underperformance.
• Investors await Fed speeches for fresh cues on the US interest rate outlook.
• The BoC opens the door for interest rate hikes amid upside inflation risks.

The USD/CAD pair trades with caution near Thursday’s low at around 1.3580 during the late Asian trading session on Friday. The Loonie pair trades weakly as the US Dollar (USD) is broadly under pressure, following Japanese intervention in the forex markets.

During the press time, the US Dollar Index (DXY), which tracks the Greenback’s value against six major currencies, is marginally higher to near 98.20, but is close to its 10-day low of 98.00.

US Dollar Price This week

The table below shows the percentage change of US Dollar (USD) against listed major currencies this week. US Dollar was the weakest against the Japanese Yen.

The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the US Dollar from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the Japanese Yen, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent USD (base)/JPY (quote).

The next major trigger for the US Dollar will be commentaries from a slew of Federal Reserve (Fed) officials as the blackout period has ended after the monetary policy announcement on Wednesday.

In the policy meeting, the Fed decided to leave interest rates unchanged in the range of 3.50%-3.75%, as expected, with an 8-4 majority. Four members dissented from the hold decision, of which three called for a move away from the easing bias.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Dollar (CAD) outperforms as the Bank of Canada (BoC) warned on Wednesday that interest rates could rise, with energy prices remaining higher.

USD/CAD technical analysis

USD/CAD trades close to Thursday’s low at around 1.3580 at the press time. The pair holds a bearish near-term bias as spot remains capped beneath the 20-day Exponential Moving Average (EMA) at 1.3698 and a Fibonacci-heavy resistance band starting at the 61.8% retracement near 1.3667.

A shift in the Relative Strength Index (14) below 40.00 warrants fresh downside momentum with no oversold signals in sight.

On the downside, the pair could slide towards the March 9 low of 1.3525 and the swing low at 1.3482 if it fails to hold the 78.6% Fibonacci retracement at 1.3585.

On the topside, a recovery would first face resistance at the 61.8% retracement at 1.3667, followed by the 20-day EMA at 1.3698 and the 50% retracement near 1.3725; only a sustained break above this cluster would ease the current bearish tone and open the way toward higher retracement barriers at 1.3782 and 1.3853.