The Canadian dollar CADUSD weakened to a near two-week low against its U.S. counterpart on Wednesday as investors grew less confident that the Federal Reserve will soon pivot to cutting interest rates.
The loonie was trading 0.3% lower at 1.3360 to the greenback, or 74.85 U.S. cents, after touching its weakest intraday level since Dec. 21 at 1.3371.
The currency had been on a tear in recent weeks along with gains for other risk-sensitive assets, such as stocks.
“The Canadian dollar is selling off as the global Santa (Claus) rally unravels,” said Karl Schamotta, chief market strategist at Corpay.
“Odds on an imminent loosening in Federal Reserve policy are fading as the economy displays continued resilience, and sentiment is generally shifting away from the euphoric conditions that characterized trading in late December,” Schamotta said.
Minutes from the Fed’s Dec. 12-13 policy meeting shed little light on when rate cuts might commence.
The U.S. dollar rallied against a basket of major currencies and U.S. stock indexes fell for a second straight day.
Gains for the price of oil, one of Canada’s major exports, were of little help to the loonie. U.S. crude oil futures settled 3.3% higher at $72.70 a barrel after a disruption at Libya’s top oilfield added to fears that tensions in the Middle East could reduce global oil supplies.
The next domestic catalyst for the currency could come from the release of the Canadian employment report on Friday. Economists expect a jobs gain of 13,500.
Canadian government bond yields eased across much of a flatter curve, tracking moves in U.S. Treasuries. The 10-year was down 5.5 basis points at 3.124% but holding above the recent 7-month low at 3.018%.