Canadian Financial Close: Loonie, crude oil in decline

WINNIPEG – The Canadian dollar made another move downward on Thursday.

The loonie closed at US$0.7441 or US$1=C$1.3439, down from US$0.7457 or US$1=C$1.3411 on Wednesday. The U.S. Dollar Index gained 0.11 of a point at 104.03.

Crude oil prices continued to drift lower. Brent crude oil was down US$0.61 per barrel to US$84.77. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) dropped US$0.44 at US$78.15/barrel. Western Canadian Select (WCS) retreated US$0.77/barrel to US$59.75.

The TSX/S&P Composite Index fell 113.97 points to 20,606.42.

Gold was up US$1.40 at US$1,846.70 per ounce.

Canada’s agricultural sector fared as follows:

Buhler Ind.                      up  $ 0.19     at $  2.42

Farmer’s Edge Inc.               dn  $ 0.01     at $  0.30

Linamar Corp.                    dn  $ 0.47     at $ 73.73

Maple Leaf Foods                 dn  $ 0.06     at $ 26.01

Nutrien Ltd.                     up  $ 1.81     at $104.88

Ritchie Bros Auctioneers Inc.    dn  $ 1.36     at $ 84.31

(All figures are in Canadian dollars.)