ECB Interest Rate Decision Due Tomorrow (EUR/USD, EUR/GBP), BoC Cash Rate Boost Missed Market Expectations (GBP/CAD)

Summary:

• The euro has been steadily strengthening against the dollar over the past few weeks.
• The Pound has recovered from all of its post-budget losses.
• Pound to Canadian Dollar exchange rate rose to a four-month high.

EUR/USD back above parity

The market is reflecting bullish signals for this currency pair. The euro has been steadily strengthening against the dollar over the past few weeks as dovish wagers against the Fed have increased, supported by weaker natural gas prices and U.S. economic statistics. The ECB meeting tomorrow, when they will release their interest rate, will be the main event for the EUR this week. Although a 75 bps rate hike is presently priced in by the financial markets with about 93% certainty, the post-announcement press conference will be crucial for determining the short-term directional bias. Any hawkish slant that may be there in the ruling could put parity to another test.

The euro increased by more than 5.3% from its yearly low, and a breach of the 2022 downtrend now raises the possibility of a greater rise in the coming days. However, the advance is now getting close to the first significant resistance barrier, which will be the first true test of the bulls' tenacity in this rebound from multi-decade lows. Prior to the European Central Bank's (ECB) interest rate announcement, these updated objectives and invalidation levels are what matter on the technical price charts for the EUR/USD.

✕ EUR/USD Price Chart

Pound sterling slightly recovered

The market is reflecting mixed market signals for this currency pair. The Pound has recovered from all of its post-budget losses, but some strategists believe it could still fall apart before the year is out. They have advised clients to sell Sterling against the Dollar after it rises back above 1.15 because there is potential for it to drop as low as 1.08 in the coming months. Following the parliamentary installation of former chancellor Rishi Sunak as prime minister, which ended the Conservative Party's leadership election, and as risk appetite seemed to increase on global markets, the pound gained versus a number of other currencies throughout the first half of the week.

The problem for the pound is that none of this does anything to change the bleak picture for the UK economy, and risk appetite would quickly decline if the Fed confirmed next Wednesday that its hawkish policy position will not change.

✕ EUR/GBP Price Chart

BoC boosted cash rate

The Bank of Canada (BoC) boosted its cash rate less than economists and markets had anticipated for October, but it nonetheless issued a warning that additional interest rate hikes are likely in the months ahead. As a result, the Pound to Canadian Dollar exchange rate rose to a four-month high.

In light of downgrades from prior expectations of 3.5% and 1.75%, respectively, the BoC revised its forecasts for Canadian GDP growth, which is now estimated to come in around 3.25% this year before slipping below 1% next year. The projection for 2024 remained at 2%. The annual consumer price index inflation rate is anticipated to decline back to 3% by the end of next year before reverting to the 2% objective by the end of 2024, according to the BoC's inflation estimates, which have remained virtually unaltered.

✕ GBP/CAD Price Chart

Sources: finance.yahoo.com, dailyfx.com, poundsterlinglive.com