USD/CAD is showing little movement in the Wednesday session. Currently, the pair is trading at 1.3370. On the release front, it’s another quiet day, with no Canadian events on the schedule. The key event in US is Pending Home Sales, which is expected to rebound with a gain of 2.3%. As well, the US releases Crude Oil Inventories, with the markets forecasting a gain of 1.5 millions barrels. On Thursday, the US releases Final GDP and unemployment claims.
Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz was refreshingly candid in a speech on Tuesday in Oshawa. Poloz hinted that the BoC would not be raising interest rates in the near future, saying that the economy had not yet recovered from the huge drop in oil prices. He added that raising interests rates back to "normal" would have a negative effect on the economy and would likely trigger a recession. The last time the BoE raised rates was in 2010, and analysts don’t forecast another hike before 2018. President Trump’s "America first" stance is a serious concern for Canada, which is heavily reliant on open trade. Poloz criticized Trump’s protectionist agenda, saying that "protectionism does not promote growth and its costs are steep".
President Donald Trump found himself on the wrong end of the rough-and tumble politics in Washington, as his bill to replace the Affordable Care Act was pulled before it even went to a vote. This was a humiliating setback for Trump, given that the Republicans enjoying a majority in Congress. The bruising defeat has sent the US dollar sharply lower and market jitters higher. Trump’s administration has stumbled out of the starting gate, and after more than two months in office, he has yet to provide any details over even an outline of economic policy. The inquiry into the Trump administration’s links with Russia is gathering steam, and is another cause for concern for nervous investors. Trump has said he will now focus on tax reform, but he has his work cut out, trying to convince a skeptical Congress and general public that he can deliver the goods and push his tax legislation through Congress.
