Euro advances against Canadian Dollar despite higher oil prices
- USD/CAD holds gains as the Canadian Dollar weakens despite higher oil prices.
- WTI price rises as Middle East tensions escalated following retaliatory strikes between Israel and Iran.
- Eurozone Sentix Investor Confidence improved to -13.4 in June from May's -16.4.
EUR/CAD inches higher after registering over 0.5% losses in the previous day, trading around 1.6070 during the European hours on Monday. The currency cross gains some ground as the commodity-linked Canadian Dollar (CAD) struggles despite higher oil prices.
WTI price rose due to renewed Middle East tensions after Israel and Iran exchanged strikes. The Guardian reported that air raid sirens sounded in Tel Aviv, following the attack from Yemen. The retaliatory attacks from Yemen, whose military force, the Houthis, is backed by Iran, reflect that conflicts in the Middle East have started again.
Earlier, the BBC reported that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reportedly struck military targets in Iran following an Iranian missile salvo aimed at northern Israel. This escalation occurred despite US President Donald Trump's criticism of previous Israeli strikes in Beirut and his active push for a diplomatic resolution between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Tehran.
The downside of the Canadian Dollar (CAD) could be restrained due to stronger-than-expected domestic employment data. In May, Canada’s economy added 88,000 jobs, significantly exceeding economic forecasts. This robust labor market performance has reinforced expectations that the Bank of Canada (BoC) may keep interest rates elevated for a longer period than previously anticipated.
On the data front, the Eurozone’s Sentix Investor Confidence data, a key indicator of Investor morale, improves to -13.4 in June from -16.4 in May. Germany’s Factory Orders dropped by 3.8% in April after rising by a revised 4.5% in March. Data missed the estimated 1.2% decrease. On an annual basis, orders increased by 1.6% year-over-year (YoY) in April, as against the previous rise of 4.5% (revised from 5.0%).
Commerzbank’s Rainer Guntermann says a 25-basis-point hike by the European Central Bank (ECB) on Thursday is almost certain and fully priced, marking the first increase since September 2023. He expects no back-to-back move in July, viewing that as premature, but looks for another hike in September. Lower Oil prices should then ease inflation, preventing restrictive policy and opening scope for rate cuts in 2027.
Euro FAQs
The Euro is the currency for the 20 European Union countries that belong to the Eurozone. It is the second most heavily traded currency in the world behind the US Dollar. In 2022, it accounted for 31% of all foreign exchange transactions, with an average daily turnover of over $2.2 trillion a day. EUR/USD is the most heavily traded currency pair in the world, accounting for an estimated 30% off all transactions, followed by EUR/JPY (4%), EUR/GBP (3%) and EUR/AUD (2%).
The European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt, Germany, is the reserve bank for the Eurozone. The ECB sets interest rates and manages monetary policy. The ECB’s primary mandate is to maintain price stability, which means either controlling inflation or stimulating growth. Its primary tool is the raising or lowering of interest rates. Relatively high interest rates – or the expectation of higher rates – will usually benefit the Euro and vice versa. The ECB Governing Council makes monetary policy decisions at meetings held eight times a year. Decisions are made by heads of the Eurozone national banks and six permanent members, including the President of the ECB, Christine Lagarde.
Eurozone inflation data, measured by the Harmonized Index of Consumer Prices (HICP), is an important econometric for the Euro. If inflation rises more than expected, especially if above the ECB’s 2% target, it obliges the ECB to raise interest rates to bring it back under control. Relatively high interest rates compared to its counterparts will usually benefit the Euro, as it makes the region more attractive as a place for global investors to park their money.
Data releases gauge the health of the economy and can impact on the Euro. Indicators such as GDP, Manufacturing and Services PMIs, employment, and consumer sentiment surveys can all influence the direction of the single currency. A strong economy is good for the Euro. Not only does it attract more foreign investment but it may encourage the ECB to put up interest rates, which will directly strengthen the Euro. Otherwise, if economic data is weak, the Euro is likely to fall. Economic data for the four largest economies in the euro area (Germany, France, Italy and Spain) are especially significant, as they account for 75% of the Eurozone’s economy.
Another significant data release for the Euro is the Trade Balance. This indicator measures the difference between what a country earns from its exports and what it spends on imports over a given period. If a country produces highly sought after exports then its currency will gain in value purely from the extra demand created from foreign buyers seeking to purchase these goods. Therefore, a positive net Trade Balance strengthens a currency and vice versa for a negative balance.