USD/CAD since 1999: yearly changes, best months and the biggest falls
28 years of daily prices in numbers: the average year, the best and worst months, every big fall and how long the recovery took. Prices to 15 October 2026.
The US dollar against the Canadian dollar, a pair that often moves with the price of oil. A rising rate means a stronger US dollar.
On 15 October 2026, USD/CAD stood 12.2% below its highest close since 1999, on 21 January 2002. Over the past twelve months its highest close was 5% above its lowest.
How far USD/CAD stood below its highest close, week by week since 1999
USD/CAD average change over the last 5, 10 and 20 years
Over the last 10 years USD/CAD rose 0.8% a year on average, +8% in total. The table shows the average yearly change for each span up to 15 October 2026.
| Period | From | A year on average | In total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Last 1 year | 15 Oct 2025 | +1.2% | +1% |
| Last 3 years | 13 Oct 2023 | +1.3% | +4% |
| Last 5 years | 15 Oct 2021 | +2.8% | +15% |
| Last 10 years | 14 Oct 2016 | +0.8% | +8% |
| Last 20 years | 13 Oct 2006 | +1.1% | +25% |
The average year
From 2000 to 2025, USD/CAD rose in 10 of 26 calendar years. The average year gained +0.2% and the median year −1.6%. The best year was 2008 (+24.4%), the worst 2003 (−18.6%). This year to 15 October: +3.8%.
* Year to date.
Best and worst months
January has been the strongest month on average (+0.6%, higher in 17 of 27 years) and April the weakest (−1.2%, higher in 8 of 28). The gaps between months are small next to the swings inside any single month, so read them as tendencies, not rules.
Average change of USD/CAD by calendar month, 1999–2025
The biggest falls, and how long the way back took
The deepest fall since 1999 took USD/CAD 43.9% below its high of 21 January 2002, with the low on 7 November 2007. It has not closed above that high since.
| High | Low | Fall | Fall took | Back at the high | Recovery took |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Jan 2002 | 7 Nov 2007 | −43.9% | 5.8 years | not yet | 18.9 years so far |
| 13 Jan 1999 | 27 Jan 2000 | −6.9% | 12 months | 10 Nov 2000 | 9 months |
| 3 Apr 2001 | 3 Jul 2001 | −4.4% | 3 months | 31 Oct 2001 | 4 months |
| 21 Nov 2000 | 12 Jan 2001 | −4.2% | 52 days | 15 Mar 2001 | 2 months |
| 12 Nov 2001 | 17 Dec 2001 | −2.5% | 35 days | 11 Jan 2002 | 25 days |
How much it moves in a day
On a typical day USD/CAD closes about 0.3% higher or lower. A move of more than 2% happened on 1% of trading days, and a move of more than 5% 0 times in 7,114 days. The largest rise was +3.7% on 22 October 2008; the largest fall −4.3% on 30 October 2008.
| Day | Average change | Days higher | Days counted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | −0.01% | 49% | 1,405 |
| Tuesday | +0.01% | 50% | 1,434 |
| Wednesday | −0.01% | 49% | 1,434 |
| Thursday | −0.02% | 47% | 1,434 |
| Friday | +0.02% | 50% | 1,407 |
Differences between weekdays are small and change from decade to decade. They are not a reason to trade on a given day.
Questions people ask
What is the best month for USD/CAD?
No month is reliable. Since 1999, January has been the strongest on average (+0.6%, higher in 17 of 27 years) and April the weakest.
How much has USD/CAD gained since 1999?
From 4 January 1999 to 15 October 2026: −7% in total, or −0.3% a year.
What was the biggest fall in USD/CAD?
−43.9% from 21 January 2002 to 7 November 2007; it has not recovered yet.
How much does USD/CAD move in a day?
About 0.3% on a typical day. Days with a move of more than 2% made up 1% of all trading days since 1999.
How many pips does USD/CAD move in a day?
From one ECB reference rate to the next, the median change was 21 pips over the past twelve months and 36 pips since 1999. A pip here is 0.0001. The distance between a day's high and low is larger.
About these numbers
Source: the European Central Bank's daily reference rates, one rate each working day, set in the early afternoon in Frankfurt; the US dollar pairs are computed from the euro rates. Daily reference rates from 4 January 1999 to 15 October 2026. Before use, the series was checked for gaps and for jumps that are data errors rather than market moves. Reference rates are set once a day, so a fast day in the market can look different from the close of a trading platform.
This page describes past prices. It is not advice to buy or sell anything.