The Bank of Canada kept interest rate unchanged at 1.75% today, but cut its growth outlook, which raised bets of a rate cut in the near-term.

While Governor of the BoC, Stephen Poloz, ignored previous forecasts for the economic growth in the near-term.

The bank cut its growth forecast in the fourth quarter of 2019 to 0.3% from 1.3%, and Poloz stressed that he expects a slowdown in growth this year.

Oil prices fell today, as the US dollar held steadily against most major currencies, ahead of the release of US crude inventories data.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) will release later today preliminary data on the US crude stockpiles for last week, while the Energy Information Administration (EIA) will reveal tomorrow its official report.

The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, is continuing with discussions on many global issues, especially climate change, ways to lower carbon emissions and to lower fossil fuel consumption.

The dollar index rose less than 0.1% to 97.5 points at 18:32 GMT, after it hit a high of 97.6 and a low of 97.4.

At 18:26 GMT, WTI crude fell 2.4% to $56.9 a barrel, with a day high of $58.3 and a low of $56.5.

Brent fell 1.8% to $63.4, after hitting a high of $64.5 and a low of $62.9.

Copper prices fell on Wednesday, to touch a 2-week low, after China announced the number of deaths increased due to "Wuhan" virus outbreak, which has spread in several regions of China, and mounted global concerns.

Observers fear that the Chinese economy will be sharply impacted by the outbreak of this deadly virus, which will weigh down on copper.

The Chinese authorities revealed that the virus has caused nine deaths and infected 440 people so far, but confirmed it increased efforts to control and contain the outbreak.

President Donald Trump said today on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos that the dollar strength is negatively affecting US industries and exports, and the Fed’s policies has obstructed the US stocks gains, adding that his trial in the Senate is a witch hunt that damages the US reputation.

At 14:13 GMT, copper futures due March were lower by 0.5% to $2.77 per pound, after hitting a day high of $2.80 and a low of $2.77.

US stocks indices opened higher on Wednesday to new record highs, buoyed by positive earnings reports by some companies, while the market focus on developments at the Davos economic forum in Switzerland.

President Trump said today that if had the Federal Reserve not done the big raise on rates, Dow Jones would have rose 10,000 points more, but raising the interest rate was just a big mistake that have hurt the economy and its growth.

Trump also criticized the Democrats in US Congress and his conviction at the US Senate, saying that if he were in the US, he would have attended himself and looked at the faces of some members he described as "corrupt."

The earnings reports season for the fourth quarter of 2019 is continuing to flow, as IBM and Netflix revealed their results yesterday.

At 15:15 GMT, Dow Jones was higher by 0.3% or 82 points to trade at 29,277, Nasdaq added 0.5% or 48 points to 9,419, and S&P 500 rose by 0.3% or 10 points to 3,331.