-- The Bank of Canada is due to meet on Wednesday and UBS expects a continued cautious tone.
Recent inflation data have come in below the BoC's own projections, reinforcing the case for patience amid a still-fragile domestic backdrop and softening labor market dynamics, said UBS.
The Canadian dollar (CAD or loonie) has shown some resilience in recent weeks, helped by higher energy prices and a period of broad-based U.S. dollar (USD) weakness, wrote the bank in a note to clients.
That said, UBS sees this support as being limited for now. Amid the Iran war, the U.S. dollar remains in a strong position, while the CAD has limited carry appeal and persistent uncertainty surrounding USMCA-related developments, it noted.
The medium-term outlook for the CAD remains "constrained," added the bank.
As a result, UBS continues to favor short CAD positions against higher-yielding currencies, as well as within select USMCA crosses, where political and trade-related risks are likely to keep sentiment uneven.