- USD/CAD holds steady near 1.3670 in Thursday’s early European session.
- Trump extended the ceasefire and vowed to continue the US blockade on Iranian ports.
- Traders brace for the preliminary reading of the S&P Global US PMI report for April, which is due on Thursday.
The USD/CAD pair trades on a flat note around 1.3670 during the early European session on Thursday. The pair steadies as traders await signs of diplomatic progress to end the war in the Middle East.
The US is extending the ceasefire with Iran at Pakistan’s request as US President Donald Trump waits for a unified proposal from Iran. Nonetheless, tensions remain high in the Middle East as Tehran keeps a tight grip on the Strait of Hormuz, controlling passage through the trade route and firing on ships.
Iran’s top negotiator and parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, stated Israel’s warmongering and “flagrant” ceasefire breaches made reopening the Strait of Hormuz “impossible.” Surging oil prices, driven by Middle East conflict risks, lift the commodity-linked Loonie. It is worth noting that Canada is a major oil-exporting country, and high crude oil prices generally have a positive impact on the Canadian Dollar (CAD).
The preliminary reading of the S&P Global US Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) will be the highlight later on Thursday. The Manufacturing PMI figure is expected to improve slightly to 52.5 in April from 52.3 in the previous reading. Services PMI is projected to rise to 50.0 in April, versus 49.8 prior. If the reports show a stronger-than-expected outcome, this could underpin the Greenback against the CAD in the near term.
