C$ edges lower on China data

TORONTO: The Canadian dollar eased back against its US counterpart on Monday as weak Chinese export data weighed on commodities and trading thinned out at the start of spring break holidays and ahead of Tuesday's US Federal Reserve meeting.

Data released over the weekend by China, showed the commodity-consuming giant posted its largest trade deficit in at least a decade, fanning concerns about the world's second largest economy.

"Without that (China data) then perhaps the Canadian dollar would be a little stronger," said Jeremy Stretch, head of foreign exchange strategy at CIBC World Markets in London. "It's a pretty lackluster session."

The China news took some of the shine off last week's robust US outlook, as the American economy added more than 200,000 workers for a third straight month in February, a further signal of recovery in Canada's biggest trading partner.

At 8:15 a.m. (1215 GMT), the Canadian dollar stood at C$0.9920 versus the US dollar, or $1.0081, down slightly from Friday's North American session close at C$0.9909 versus the US dollar, or $1.0092.

The currency has recently traded within a tight window near parity with the greenback and Stretch said he saw it remaining rangebound between C$0.9840 on the high end and C$1.0050 on the low end.

"It doesn't look as though we're going to have too much in the way of independent impetus, at least in the short term, to break us out of that range," added Stretch.

Market moves were limited with North American investors on spring break holidays and ahead of Tuesday's US Federal Reserve policy meeting, which will look at whether the current program of monetary stimulus, due to expire in late June, will be extended.

Canadian bond prices were higher across the curve, with the two-year bond up 1 Canadian cent to yield 1.169 percent, while the 10-year bond rose 10 Canadian cents to yield 1.997 percent.