Canadian Financial Close: Loonie firms despite housing data

By Commodity News Service Canada

WINNIPEG, August 9 – The Canadian dollar firmed against its
US counterpart on Tuesday, taking strength from higher gold
prices.
The loonie was buffeted though by declines in Canadian
housing starts between July to June.
The Canadian dollar closed at US$0.7620 or US$1=C$1.3123,
which compares with Monday’s close of US$0.7597, or
US$1=C$1.3163.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index finished stronger on Tuesday
with health-care stocks leading the way.
Valeant shares pushed up 25% after the company announced it
planned to sell some non-core assets.
The index climbed 45.61 points, or 0.31%, to close at
14,801.23.
Canada’s agricultural sector performed as follows:

AGT Food and Ingredients—–up $ 1.50 at $ 35.10
Agrium Incorporated———-up $ 0.72 at $120.70
Buhler Industries————– $ 0.00 at $ 4.77
Maple Leaf Foods————-dn $ 0.21 at $ 29.19
Potash Corp. of Sask———up $ 0.09 at $ 21.65

(All figures are in Canadian dollars.)