In Friday Asia trade the dollar weakened broadly and USD/CAD fell for a third
straight day as weak tech earnings revived concerns that rising AI spending may
not deliver adequate returns, prompting flows into safe‑haven sovereign bonds.
Traders remain largely convinced of a December Fed rate hike after Thursday’s US
data showed resilient activity and persistent price pressures; elevated oil
prices add inflation risk and bolster Fed‑tightening expectations. The Bank of
Canada unexpectedly hiked on Wednesday — its first increase since July 2023 —
signalling a sudden shift to tightening, which limits CAD downside and caps
USD/CAD upside. BOC’s surprise hawkish pivot reduces the case for a material
rebound in USD/CAD.