USD/CAD Price Forecast: Consolidates near 1.4250 as rising oil prices counter bullish USD

October 8 - * Snack and carbonated beverage giant PepsiCo (PEP.O) saw its shares rise by 2% in pre-market trading, quoted at $125.32. ** The beverage manufacturer stated it expects full-year revenue to reach the upper end of the previously forecasted range of 4% to 6%. ** It now anticipates annual core earnings per share growth of 1% to 2% at constant currency, compared to the previously forecasted lower end of the 4% to 6% range. ** Third-quarter net revenue came in at $25.27 billions, surpassing analyst expectations of $24.96 billions compiled by LSEG. ** Core earnings per share grew 2% in the third quarter to $2.34. ** CEO Ramon Laguarta stated: "We are currently formulating further structural cost-saving measures, which will be implemented in the coming months." ** As of the previous session close, the stock was down 13.8% year-to-date. (For the convenience of non-English speakers, Reuters provides automated translations of its reports into several other languages. Since automated translations may contain errors or lack necessary contextual information, Reuters does not guarantee the accuracy of these automated text versions. They are provided solely for reader convenience. Reuters assumes no responsibility for any damage or loss arising from the use of automated translations.)

The third paragraph adds comments from the CEO, and the fourth paragraph provides information on stock price trends. Reuters, October 8 - PepsiCo (PEP.O) announced on Thursday that, due to weak snack and beverage demand in North America and rising input costs, it has lowered its annual core profit forecast and will further advance cost-cutting measures. Consumer goods manufacturers such as PepsiCo, General Mills (GIS.N), McCormick (MKC.N), and Conagra Brands (CAG.N) are facing a challenging operating environment: soaring raw material costs are squeezing profit margins, and rising gasoline prices are prompting consumers to be cautious with their spending, thereby dampening demand. “We are developing additional structural cost reduction measures, which will be implemented in the coming months to support investments aimed at accelerating organic revenue growth and mitigating the impact of input cost inflation,” CEO Ramon Laguarta stated in the announcement. The company’s shares rose about 1% in pre-market trading. The company expects that, after adjusting for currency fluctuations, fiscal 2026 core earnings per share will rise between 1% and 2%, lowered from the previous forecast of a 4% to 6% increase at the low end. In addition, the company expects annual organic revenue to grow by roughly 3%, compared to its previous forecast range of 2% to 4%. (For the convenience of non-English speakers, Reuters has automatically translated this report into several other languages. Automated translations may contain errors or may lack necessary context, and Reuters does not guarantee the accuracy of automated translation texts, which are provided for convenience only. Reuters accepts no liability for any damage or loss arising from the use of the automated translation feature.)

On October 8, shares of quantum computing company IonQ (ticker: IONQ.N) rose 1.52% in pre-market trading to $41.97. The company announced that it has entered the third phase of the DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) quantum benchmarking program. This move signals recognition of IonQ's quantum computing technology. DARPA is a U.S. government agency responsible for funding and promoting the development of advanced defense technologies. Its QBI program aims to test which quantum computers will ultimately have the performance and reliability required for real-world applications. The third phase is the final testing and validation stage, set to last until 2029, with a potential contract value of up to $300 million. As of the previous trading day’s close, IonQ's stock was down 7.87% year-to-date.