• US payrolls rise by 263K against expectations of 250K.
• Canada: Net change in employment during September 21K vs 20K.
• Loonie drops versus the dollar, although it hits fresh daily highs against most of its rivals.
• USD/CAD rises toward daily highs amid a stronger dollar.

The USD/CAD climbed from 1.3722 to 1.3760, matching the daily highs following the September employment reports from Canada and the US. Both showed better-than-expected numbers. The dollar rose across the board but also the loonie, although at a slower pace.

Positive reports in Canada and the US

The US official employment report showed non-farm payrolls rose by 263K in September, above the 250K expected. The unemployment rate dropped unexpectedly from 3.7% to 3.5%.

In Canada, net change in employment was positive by 21.1K during September, in line with market consensus. The unemployment rate fell from 5.4% to 5.2%, with the participation rate falling from 64.8% to 64.7%.

The greenback rose after the figures, boosted by higher US yields. The US 10-year yield is at 3.90%, while the 2-year reached 4.34%, a few points below the cycle highs.

Despite the dollar’s strength, so far USD/CAD remains in the range between 1.3760 and 1.3705, still undecided. The loonie printed fresh highs versus currencies like AUD, NZD, GBP and EUR after the report.

Technical levels