Canadian dollar sagged 0.5% yesterday, even in the aftermath of data
supporting the notion that the Bank of Canada has further to go: could it be
pre-election jitters as Canadians get set to probably change governments for the
first time in nearly 13 years? Look at the historical record â we looked at the last
4 times we had a government turnover in Ottawa: Net-net â the FX market
doesnât like change, no matter who wins; the policy uncertainty acts an overhang.
Each time the CAD was weaker within a month, and by an average of nearly 2%:
⢠Oct 25/93: Liberals win. Canadian dollar on day of election is 1.3095. Next
day is 1.3207. Week later is 1.3160. By end of November is at 1.330.
⢠Sept 4/84: Tories win. Canadian dollar on day of election is 1.2995. Next
day is 1.3044. Week later is 1.3163. By mid-October it is at 1.3272.
⢠Feb18/80: Liberals win. Canadian dollar is 1.1597 on day of election. Next
day is 1.1552. Week later is 1.1504. But at end of March is trading at 1.1925
(not a typo).
⢠May 22/79: Tories win. Canadian dollar is 1.1585 day of election. Next day
is at 1.1569. Week later is 1.1608. By the end of June is at 1.1680.
Letâs add that we believe any post-election decline in the loonie is likely to be
brief and a buying opp: bottom line is that Canadaâs fundamentals are strong, as
highlighted by the twin budgetary and current account surpluses, commodities
remain in a full-fledged bull market, the Bank of Canada is in tightening mode and
fiscal policy is set to loosen, which is always and everywhere a combo that is
positive for a nationâs currency, and once foreign investors sit back and take note
that Mr. Harper (i) has a fiscal tax-cut/spending increase plan that has received the
blessing from the Conference Board in terms of costing-out the measures to ensure
that surpluses are maintained, (ii) is chief of the most pro-market and pro-business
party in Canada and (iii) is seen as being friendly towards the US Administration,
any interim weakness in the Canadian dollar is likely to be quite brief. That said,
in the real of day-to-day FX trading, the 4 out of 4 outcomes cited above should
probably not be ignored, at least in the days following the vote.