- EUR/CAD holds losses as the Canadian Dollar gains on improved oil prices.
- Maritime authorities said an IRGC-linked gunboat fired on a Liberia-flagged vessel and two other cargo ships.
- ECB’s Lagarde warns Eurozone outlook is highly uncertain due to a significant energy supply shock.
EUR/CAD extends its losing streak for the sixth consecutive day, trading around 1.6040 during the European hours on Wednesday. The currency cross stays subdued as the Canadian Dollar (CAD) draws support from a stronger risk-on mood after US President Donald Trump extended the ceasefire despite the collapse of second-round US–Iran talks.
Moreover, the commodity-linked CAD is further supported by firmer oil prices amid renewed attacks on shipping near Iran. Maritime authorities reported that a Liberia-flagged container vessel was fired upon by a gunboat linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, while two additional outbound cargo ships were also targeted.
However, a Bloomberg headline, citing Tasnim News Agency affiliated with the IRGC, noted that Iran has received “some sign” the United States (US) may be willing to ease its naval blockade.
The Canadian Dollar may continue to gain as rising energy prices could boost foreign exchange inflows into Canada’s financial system, reflecting the country’s status as the largest crude exporter to the United States. Higher energy costs could also lift inflation, potentially prompting the Bank of Canada (BoC) to signal a firm stance against persistent price pressures, further underpinning the currency.
European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde warned that the Eurozone outlook remains highly uncertain due to a significant energy supply shock tied to Middle East tensions and the Strait of Hormuz blockade. While energy prices have yet to reach worst-case levels, she stressed that the outlook remains fragile.
