Challenges Ahead for USD/CAD Bulls

Last night, the Bank of Canada decided to raise its interest rate by 25 basis points, bringing it to 4.75%. This move came after a pause in the tightening campaign during the two previous meetings. As a result, borrowing costs reached a level not seen in 22 years. Because most of the market, approximately 60%, expected interest rates to remain unchanged, the Canadian dollar (CAD) strengthened against the US dollar (USD) following the news.

The USD experienced a decrease of 0.23% against the CAD. The initial reaction in the USD/CAD exchange rate showed an 80-pip drop, bottoming out at 1.3320. However, the possibility of an additional rate increase by the Federal Reserve in July likely limited the losses. The upcoming release of US inflation data next week, coinciding with the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, may provide limited insights into the validity of this possibility.

If there are any further upward movements, reaching the area around 1.3400 could present a challenge for those expecting gains. This is because the 50-day, 100-day, and 200-day moving averages (MAs) on the 30-minute chart are all moving in their own lanes, indicating that the short-term price won't be fighting the long-term downtrend just yet. The April 14 low of 1.3300 and the aforementioned 1.3320 could be key if the pairs move lower.