Forex News
- Initial Jobless Claims decreased to 226K vs. the previous week.
- Continuing Jobless Claims went up to 1.810M.
According to a report from the US Department of Labour (DOL) released on Thursday, the number of US citizens submitting new applications for unemployment insurance shrank to 226K for the week ending June 13. The latest print came in a tad above initial estimates (225K) and was slightly lower than the previous week’s 230K (revised from 229K).
Additionally, the 4-week moving average went up by 4K, bringing it to 223.25K from the revised average of the previous week (219.25K).
The report also indicated that Continuing Jobless Claims increased by 24K to 1.810M for the week ending June 6.
What do US Initial Jobless Claims figures mean for the US Dollar?
The Greenback extends its post-Fed gains and navigates the area of fresh yearly highs around 100.80 when gauged by the US Dollar Index (DXY) on Thursday.
The move higher in the US Dollar (USD) comes in response to rising bets of rate hikes by the Federal Reserve (Fed) later in the year, particularly in the wake of the hawkish hold on Wednesday.
Employment FAQs
Labor market conditions are a key element to assess the health of an economy and thus a key driver for currency valuation. High employment, or low unemployment, has positive implications for consumer spending and thus economic growth, boosting the value of the local currency. Moreover, a very tight labor market – a situation in which there is a shortage of workers to fill open positions – can also have implications on inflation levels and thus monetary policy as low labor supply and high demand leads to higher wages.
The pace at which salaries are growing in an economy is key for policymakers. High wage growth means that households have more money to spend, usually leading to price increases in consumer goods. In contrast to more volatile sources of inflation such as energy prices, wage growth is seen as a key component of underlying and persisting inflation as salary increases are unlikely to be undone. Central banks around the world pay close attention to wage growth data when deciding on monetary policy.
The weight that each central bank assigns to labor market conditions depends on its objectives. Some central banks explicitly have mandates related to the labor market beyond controlling inflation levels. The US Federal Reserve (Fed), for example, has the dual mandate of promoting maximum employment and stable prices. Meanwhile, the European Central Bank’s (ECB) sole mandate is to keep inflation under control. Still, and despite whatever mandates they have, labor market conditions are an important factor for policymakers given its significance as a gauge of the health of the economy and their direct relationship to inflation.
- USD/CAD rises 0.21% on Thursday and trades around 1.4130 at the time of writing.
- The US Dollar remains supported after a hawkish Fed meeting, despite the preliminary US-Iran agreement.
- Lower Oil prices emphasise downside pressure on the Canadian Dollar.
USD/CAD trades around 1.4130 on Thursday, up 0.21% on the day, as the US Dollar (USD) maintains a positive tone following the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) monetary policy decision. The pair continues to hold above the 1.4100 level, supported by a reassessment of US interest rate expectations.
The Fed left its benchmark interest rate unchanged within the 3.5%-3.75% range, in line with market expectations. However, updated economic projections showed that roughly half of Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) members expect at least one additional rate hike this year. During his first press conference as head of the central bank, Fed Chair Kevin Warsh reaffirmed his commitment to restoring price stability, highlighting the resilience of the labor market and persistent underlying inflation pressures.
This more restrictive policy outlook continues to support the Greenback, even as safe-haven demand eases following the announcement of a preliminary memorandum of understanding between the United States (US) and Iran aimed at ending hostilities in the Middle East. According to Rabobank, improving geopolitical prospects and a potential full reopening of the Strait of Hormuz could reduce demand for safe-haven assets, but the impact of the Fed’s hawkish shift is currently outweighing those factors for the US Dollar.
On the Canadian side, the Canadian Dollar (CAD) is weighed down by lower Oil prices. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) is hovering below $75 per barrel, down more than 0.90% on Thursday at the time of press. This factor is generally negative for the commodity-linked currency, given the importance of energy exports to the Canadian economy.
At the same time, investors remain focused on the global growth outlook and the potential consequences of higher US interest rates. A further rise in US Treasury yields could continue to favor the US Dollar against the Canadian Dollar, even as overall market sentiment improves.
Canadian Dollar Price Today
The table below shows the percentage change of Canadian Dollar (CAD) against listed major currencies today. Canadian Dollar was the strongest against the Swiss Franc.
| USD | EUR | GBP | JPY | CAD | AUD | NZD | CHF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USD | 0.33% | 0.47% | 0.16% | 0.16% | 0.11% | 0.13% | 0.56% | |
| EUR | -0.33% | 0.16% | -0.15% | -0.17% | -0.23% | -0.25% | 0.22% | |
| GBP | -0.47% | -0.16% | -0.32% | -0.33% | -0.37% | -0.39% | 0.05% | |
| JPY | -0.16% | 0.15% | 0.32% | 0.02% | -0.06% | -0.08% | 0.38% | |
| CAD | -0.16% | 0.17% | 0.33% | -0.02% | -0.08% | -0.09% | 0.37% | |
| AUD | -0.11% | 0.23% | 0.37% | 0.06% | 0.08% | -0.02% | 0.44% | |
| NZD | -0.13% | 0.25% | 0.39% | 0.08% | 0.09% | 0.02% | 0.47% | |
| CHF | -0.56% | -0.22% | -0.05% | -0.38% | -0.37% | -0.44% | -0.47% |
The heat map shows percentage changes of major currencies against each other. The base currency is picked from the left column, while the quote currency is picked from the top row. For example, if you pick the Canadian Dollar from the left column and move along the horizontal line to the US Dollar, the percentage change displayed in the box will represent CAD (base)/USD (quote).
Forex Market News
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