USD/CAD MOVES SIDEWAYS AMID A STABLE US DOLLAR, FLOATS AROUND 1.3490

• USD/CAD could continue its winning streak on risk-off sentiment.
• US CPI YoY and MoM rose by 3.2% and 0.4%, respectively, in February.
• The higher Crude oil prices limit the losses of the Canadian Dollar.

USD/CAD could maintain its winning streak for the fourth consecutive session, with the pair trading higher around 1.3490 during the early European hours on Wednesday.

The US Dollar (USD) receives upward support from the prevailing market sentiment despite a potential for a rate cut by the Federal Reserve (Fed) in June, despite the release of upbeat Consumer Price Index (CPI) data on Tuesday.

According to the CME FedWatch Tool, the probability of a rate cut in March has decreased to 1.0%, while it stands at 15.6% for May. In June, the likelihood of a rate cut is estimated to be 66.6%.

In February, US CPI (YoY) increased by 3.2%, surpassing estimates of 3.1%. The monthly inflation met expectations at 0.4%, higher than the previously observed 0.3%. US Core CPI rose by 3.8% year-over-year, above the anticipated 3.7% but below the previous reading of 3.9%. The month-over-month figure remained steady at 0.4%, against the market expectations of 0.3%.

The rise in Crude oil prices may have provided upward support for the Canadian Dollar (CAD), thereby capping the upside potential of the USD/CAD pair. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil price edged higher to nearly $77.90 per barrel during the European hours at the time of writing.

Crude oil prices are anticipated to receive upward support due to a strong outlook for global demand. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has maintained its forecast for relatively robust growth in global oil demand in 2024 and 2025.

The economic calendar for the Canadian Dollar does not contain high-impact data for the week. Attention will be on the US Core Producer Price Index (PPI) and Retail Sales data scheduled for release on Thursday.