TORONTO: Canada's dollar ended weaker against the US currency on Monday, hurt by a drop in commodity prices, as investors shifted focus from central bank stimulus schemes to weak economic fundamentals and the euro zone's still unresolved debt crisis.
The Canadian currency fell overnight after data showed German business sentiment dropped for a fifth straight month in September to its lowest since early 2010, raising fears of recession and underlining that a bold bond-buying plan laid out by the European Central Bank is no economic elixir.
Spain's troubles were also at the top of investors' minds, with the government making slow progress towards asking for the international bailout that markets are anticipating.
The gloomy headlines weighed on stock markets and commodity prices, riskier assets that often help set the direction for Canada's currency.
"It's suffering along with all of the other general risk proxies," said Adam Cole, global head of FX strategy at RBC Capital Markets in London.
Disappointing Canadian data has also prevented the currency from making gains after touching a 13-month high on Sept. 14. The tepid numbers included tame Canadian inflation for August and a weak wholesale sales report for July, both released on Friday.
"Some of the data we've had recently has been a bit softer so it has taken away from the fairly decent Canadian dollar rally of the last few weeks," said David Bradley, director of foreign exchange trading at Scotiabank.
The Canadian dollar ended the day at C$0.9788 against the US dollar, or $1.0217, softer than Friday's North American session close at C$0.9764, or $1.0242.
The currency at one point hit C$0.9819, its weakest level since Sept. 7.
With little domestic data out on Monday, markets were looking ahead to retail sales and monthly GDP later in the week.
Canadian government bond prices advanced across the curve, with the two-year bond up 3 Canadian cents to yield 1.121 percent, and the benchmark 10-year bond up 27 Canadian cents, yielding 1.821 percent.
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