USD/CAD consolidates near 1.3800 ahead of Fed speakers

• USD/CAD trades sideways near 1.3800 as investors await Fed speakers for more guidance on interest rates.
• The Fed is expected to follow a moderate rate-cut path.
• Investors expect the BoC to cut interest rates again to revive job growth.

The USD/CAD pair trades in a tight range near the round-level resistance of 1.3800 in Friday’s European session. The Loonie pair trades sideways as investors await speeches from a slew of Federal Reserve (Fed) officials, who are scheduled to speak in the North American session.

Fed policymakers such as Atlanta Fed Bank President Raphael Bostic, Minneapolis Fed Bank President Neel Kashkari, and Fed Governor Christopher Waller are expected to provide fresh cues about the likely interest rate action in the remainder of the year.

According to the CME FedWatch tool, 30-day Federal Funds futures pricing data shows that there will a 50 basis points (bps) further decline in interest rates in the remaining year, suggesting that the Fed will cut its borrowing rates by 25 bps in November and December.

The Fed seems to follow a moderate policy-easing cycle as recent United States (US) data for September has diminished economic slowdown risks.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Dollar (CAD) broadly stays on the backfoot as the Bank of Canada (BoC) is expected to cut its interest rates again on Wednesday. The BoC has already reduced its borrowing rates by 75 bps to 4.25% this year.

More rate cuts from the BoC appear to be in the pipeline as price pressures in Canada seem to have come under control, and the economy is not operating at full-employment levels. Canadian Unemployment Rate decelerated at a faster-than-expected pace to 6.6% in September but is well above the bank’s target of 5%.