CANADA FX DEBT-Canadian dollar edges higher as BoC plays waiting game

BY Reuters | ECONOMIC | 02:43 PM EDT

* Canadian dollar gains 0.2% against the greenback

* BoC leaves its key interest rate at 2.25%

* Global oil price increases about 2.5%

* Bond yields trade mixed across the curve

By Fergal Smith

TORONTO, June 10 (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar strengthened against its U.S. counterpart on Wednesday, but the move was limited as the Bank of Canada took a wait-and-see approach on interest rates and investors weighed uncertain prospects for a continental trade pact.

The loonie was trading 0.2% higher at 1.3925 per U.S. dollar, or 71.81 U.S. cents, after moving in a range of 1.3900 to 1.3957. On Tuesday, the currency touched a six-month low at 1.3969. The BoC left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.25% for a fifth straight time and said it was seeing limited evidence that higher energy prices were fueling broad-based inflation.

Investors were pricing in 32 basis points of rate hikes by December, down from 37 basis points before the policy decision, swap market data showed.

"The (economic) data in Canada has not been stellar ... and that puts the Bank of Canada in a fairly good position in that they can wait to see what happens," said Darcy Briggs, a portfolio manager at Franklin Templeton Canada.

Recent first-quarter GDP data showed that Canada's economy slipped into a technical recession in the first quarter.

"Canada is still dealing with a trio of shocks," Briggs said, pointing to higher energy prices, the resetting of many mortgages at sharply higher interest rates and trade uncertainty. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he might not renew his country's free trade deal with Canada and Mexico. The global benchmark price of oil, one of Canada's major exports, was trading about 2.5% higher at $93.78 a barrel following tit-for-tat strikes between the U.S. and Iran.

Canadian bond yields were mixed across the curve, with the 10-year barely changed at 3.487%. (Reporting by Fergal Smith; Editing by Paul Simao)

In general the bond market is volatile, and fixed income securities carry interest rate risk. (As interest rates rise, bond prices usually fall, and vice versa. This effect is usually more pronounced for longer-term securities.) Fixed income securities also carry inflation risk and credit and default risks for both issuers and counterparties. Unlike individual bonds, most bond funds do not have a maturity date, so avoiding losses caused by price volatility by holding them until maturity is not possible.

Lower-quality debt securities generally offer higher yields, but also involve greater risk of default or price changes due to potential changes in the credit quality of the issuer. Any fixed income security sold or redeemed prior to maturity may be subject to loss.

Before investing, consider the funds' investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Contact Fidelity for a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus containing this information. Read it carefully.

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