During Friday morning trading, USD/CAD continues to develop an uptrend and demonstrates moderate growth, approaching the level of 1.4410. Nevertheless, the pair remains under pressure after a significant decline on Monday. Investors are cautious about forming new positions, waiting for the publication of key data on the US and Canadian labor markets at 15:30 (GMT+2).
Analysts' forecasts suggest the creation of 154 thousand new jobs in the US non-agricultural sector, which is lower than November's 227 thousand. It is also expected that the growth of the average hourly wage will slow from 0.4% to 0.3% on a monthly basis, while unemployment will remain at 4.2%. The latest data from ADP, reflecting employment in the private sector, indicates a decrease in the number of new jobs from 146 thousand to 122 thousand, which is also lower than the projected 140 thousand. In light of these indicators, it is unlikely that the labor market will have a significant impact on the Fed. Fed officials, including Lisa Cook, are taking a cautious approach, emphasizing the resilience of inflation and the strength of the labor market, which allows us to consider the possibility of slowing the pace of rate cuts.
The situation is complicated by expectations of the actions of the new administration of Donald Trump, including the possible imposition of customs duties on imports from China, Mexico and Canada, which may force the Fed to adhere to a more stringent monetary policy.
Forecasts for Canada suggest a reduction in employment growth in December to 25,000 from the previous 50,500, while the unemployment rate may rise slightly to 6.9%. Additionally, attention will be drawn to data on the number of building permits, which are expected to show an increase of 1.8% after falling by 3.1% in the previous month.
Political uncertainty in Canada has intensified after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his intention to resign. The possible strengthening of the Conservative Party's position under the leadership of Pierre Pouillevre may lead to changes in fiscal policy and affect the strategy of the Bank of Canada.
Technical indicators on the daily chart signal a possible overbought US dollar. The Bollinger Band indicator remains in the horizontal position, and the MACD is preparing to form a buy signal. Stochastic is approaching the overbought level, which may increase the risks of correction.
Trading recommendations
- It is recommended to open long positions with a confident breakdown of the 1.4435 level with a target of 1.4500. We put the stop loss at 1.4400.
- Sales can be considered with a rebound from the 1.4435 level and a subsequent breakdown of the key support at 1.4400 with a target of 1.4300. The stop loss is 1.4450.