Cyber Monday Deal: Up to 60% off InvestingProCLAIM SALE

CANADA FX DEBT-C$ steadies as oil rises; ends week 1.2 pct lower

Published 2016-12-16, 04:54 p/m
© Reuters.  CANADA FX DEBT-C$ steadies as oil rises; ends week 1.2 pct lower
USD/CAD
-
GS
-
CL
-
CA2YT=RR
-
CA30YT=RR
-

(Adds analyst quotes and details throughout and updates prices)

* Canadian dollar ends at C$1.3344, or 74.94 U.S. cents

* Bond prices mixed across steeper yield curve

* 30-year yield touches its highest since November 2015

By Fergal Smith

TORONTO, Dec 16 (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar steadied against its U.S. counterpart on Friday as oil rose and investors took stock of sharp losses for the currency over the previous two days after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates.

For the week, the loonie fell 1.2 percent. It slumped from its strongest level in eight weeks at C$1.3081 per U.S. dollar before the Fed decision on Wednesday to hit its weakest in two weeks at C$1.3417 on Thursday.

U.S. crude oil futures CLc1 settled up $1 at $51.90 a barrel after Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) boosted its price forecast for 2017 and producers showed signs of adhering to a global deal to reduce output. O/R

Oil is one of Canada's major exports.

Investors who sold Canadian dollars have been "taking some chips off the table ahead of the weekend as liquidity conditions begin to dry up into the holidays," said Mazen Issa, senior foreign exchange strategist at TD Securities.

The Canadian dollar CAD=D4 ended at C$1.3344 to the greenback, or 74.94 U.S. cents, slightly stronger than Thursday's close of C$1.3347, or 74.92 U.S. cents.

The currency's strongest level of the session was C$1.3320, while its weakest was C$1.3392.

"It is still a (U.S.) dollar stronger environment until proven otherwise" after the Fed signaled interest rate increases would follow at a faster pace next year, Issa said.

He expects the loonie to weaken to C$1.3650 per U.S. dollar.

Speculators raised bearish bets on the Canadian dollar to the most since March, according to Commodity Futures Trading Commission data and Reuters calculations. Net short Canadian dollar positions rose to 21,869 contracts as of Dec. 13 from 18,158 a week earlier.

Canadian government bond prices were mixed across a steeper yield curve. The two-year CA2YT=RR rose 1 Canadian cent to yield 0.819 percent, while the 30-year CA30YT=RR fell 32 Canadian cents to yield 2.425 percent.

The 30-year yield touched its highest intraday since November 2015 at 2.438 percent.

Foreigners maintained their healthy appetite for Canadian securities in October, snapping up C$15.75 billion worth of bonds, stocks and money market paper, Statistics Canada said.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.