The USD/CAD pair is adjusted at 1.3569, which is due to the weakening of the US dollar.
The Canadian dollar is showing strengthening, remaining above the levels of the previous week. It was supported by wholesale trade data: in July, the volume of wholesale sales, excluding oil and cereals, increased by 1.1% on a monthly basis and by 0.4% to 82.7 billion Canadian dollars annually. Growth was recorded in four of the seven main sectors, with the largest contribution from trade in agricultural goods (+9.2%) and beverages (+1.7%). At the same time, the segments of goods for personal use and household showed the largest reduction — by 22.2% and 2.5%, respectively. As a result of the increase in production, inventories of goods increased from -0.1% to 0.5% in July, and the ratio of inventories to sales remained at 1.54 points, which indicates a stable situation in the sector.
Since the beginning of the week, the US dollar has been showing a decline and is trading at 101.00 in the USDX index. Investors practically did not react to the data on price indices in international trade published on Friday: in August, the export price index fell by 0.7% in both annual and monthly terms, after rising by 1.2% earlier. The import price index was -0.3% on a monthly basis and 0.8% on an annual basis, which is lower than the previous value of 1.7%. This indicates a slowdown in U.S. foreign trade for the second month in a row, which may be due to higher interest rates in the country, while other leading economies are already starting to lower them.
- Resistance levels: 1.3610, 1.3710.
- Support levels: 1.3540, 1.3440.
AUD/USD: after correction, the pair moves back to growth
The AUD/USD pair is showing moderate growth, returning to the "bullish" trend after a slight correction observed at the end of last week. Now the instrument is trying to overcome the level of 0.6725, which is facilitated by the expectation of changes in the monetary policy of the US Federal Reserve System, in particular, a possible adjustment in the cost of borrowing.
Investors also drew attention to macroeconomic indicators from China, released over the weekend. The data turned out to be weaker than expected: in August, industrial production increased by 4.5%, slowing from 5.1%, although 4.8% was forecast. Retail sales also showed a decrease, increasing by 2.1% against the expected 2.5% and the previous figure of 2.7%. Since the beginning of the year, investments in urban economy have decreased to 3.4%, which turned out to be slightly below expectations of 3.5%.
On Thursday at 03:30 (GMT+2), the market will pay attention to the Australian labor market report for August. Employment is expected to decline from 58.2 thousand to 30.8 thousand, while the unemployment rate is likely to remain at 4.2%. Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Chief Economist Sarah Hunter earlier noted that the labor sector continues to recover, although population growth is outpacing employment figures. Companies are also reducing the amount of hours worked, which may affect the decisions of the regulator. In order to combat inflation, the RBA has already raised the interest rate by 425 basis points, bringing it to a 12—year high of 4.35%.
- Resistance levels: 0.6732, 0.6750, 0.6775, 0.6800.
- Support levels: 0.6700, 0.6675, 0.6642, 0.6622.
USD/JPY: analysts do not expect a rate hike by the Bank of Japan this month
The USD/JPY pair is showing a downward trend, approaching the July 2023 lows at 140.20. The depreciation of the US currency is due to expectations of a change in the monetary policy of the US Federal Reserve System (FRS). The Fed's two-day meeting starts tomorrow, and the baseline scenario still assumes an interest rate cut of 25 basis points. However, the probability of a more significant 50 basis point decline has increased markedly and, according to the CME FedWatch Tool, is 59% compared to 30% last week. In addition, market participants are waiting for signals from the Fed about a possible additional rate cut before the end of the year.
The Bank of Japan will also hold a meeting this week, and although the regulator is expected to maintain its current monetary policy, the comments of the bank's representatives will be carefully analyzed by investors. In addition, Japanese inflation data for August will be published on Friday. Forecasts indicate a slight acceleration in the consumer price index, excluding fresh food prices, from 2.7% to 2.8%. If the forecasts come true, this may strengthen the position of the Bank of Japan on the issue of further interest rate increases. According to a Reuters poll, none of the 52 economists expects a rate increase at the September 19-20 meeting. However, 54% of respondents assume that changes in monetary policy are possible by the end of the year, which is slightly less than 57% last month. The median forecast indicates an increase in the rate by 25 basis points, reaching the level of 0.50%. Among a narrower group of 23 experts, the majority favored a policy adjustment in December.
- Resistance levels: 141.00, 141.76, 142.50, 143.35.
- Support levels: 140.00, 139.35, 138.50, 137.50.
Oil market analysis
At the beginning of the week, Brent Crude Oil prices showed a weak downward momentum, developing after Friday's decline, when quotes retreated from peak values on September 6. They are currently testing the 71.20 level, trying to break it down. Investors are awaiting the results of the two-day meeting of the US Federal Reserve System, which begins tomorrow. Analysts predict a reduction in the interest rate by 25 basis points to 5.00%, and are also waiting for signals regarding further steps by the regulator.
Oil dynamics are also under pressure from the recent decision of OPEC and the International Energy Agency (IEA), which lowered their forecasts for oil demand due to the slowdown in the economies of Europe and China. This concern intensified after the publication of macroeconomic data: in August, industrial production fell from 5.1% to 4.5%, which was lower than expectations of 4.8%. Retail sales also fell from 2.7% to 2.1%, although 2.5% was forecast. In addition, analysts note a slowdown in oil demand growth, linking this to China's transition to more environmentally friendly fuels and a decrease in gasoline demand in developed countries. Brent futures prices have fallen from a high of $82.0 per barrel in early August to a three-year low below $70.0 per barrel. This happened despite a reduction in Libyan oil supplies and a continued decrease in reserves. According to forecasts, the indicator will grow by only 900 thousand barrels per day in 2024 and by 950 thousand barrels per day. barrels per day next year, which may lead to a decrease in consumption in developed countries by almost 2 thousand barrels per day compared to the level preceding the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Resistance levels: 72.00, 73.00, 74.00, 75.04.
- Support levels: 71.00, 70.00, 69.00, 68.00.