Finance News

Story: Canadian Dollar Hits 14-Month Low as Fed Rate Bets Crush the Loonie

By Julie Binoche

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Oil Prices and the Bank of Canada's Slower Pace. Canada is a major oil exporter, so when commodity prices slip, the currency tends to follow.

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Global Pressures Piling On. It's not just the Fed and oil. Geopolitical tensions and broader global market volatility have…

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What Traders Are Watching Now. Markets are focused on upcoming economic data from both the U.S. and Canada.

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The Canadian dollar is in rough shape. It dropped to 1.3650 against the U.S. dollar as of Monday — the weakest level in 14 months — and traders aren't exactly rushing to buy the…

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The move pretty much comes down to one thing: the Federal Reserve. Markets are pricing in more rate hikes from the Fed, and that's been a steady tailwind for the U.S.

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Canada's own economic picture isn't helping.

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That divergence matters a lot in forex markets. When one central bank is hiking aggressively and another is moving cautiously, capital flows toward the more aggressive one.

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Domestic economic growth has also been sluggish. Weaker-than-expected data releases have added to the pressure, and businesses and consumers are starting to feel tighter…

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It's not just the Fed and oil. Geopolitical tensions and broader global market volatility have pushed investors toward safer assets — and in that environment, the U.S.

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Read also: Ledn Now Takes Tether Gold as Loan Collateral in 43 Billion Dollar RWA Market Push

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Trade dynamics are also in the mix. Canada's economy is export-heavy, which means shifts in trade policy or tariffs can hit hard.

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And the U.S. dollar's strength isn't just a Canada problem. It's been gaining against a wide range of currencies as other central banks stay more cautious about raising rates.

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Markets are focused on upcoming economic data from both the U.S. and Canada. Any surprises — in either direction — could shift expectations for central bank policy and move the…

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But that's a lot of "ifs." Right now the trajectory is pretty clear: the Fed is in control of this story, and the Bank of Canada is reacting, not leading.

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See also: Fed Surprises Markets, Gold Drops $40 and Bitcoin Slips Under $65,500

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