Canadian Financial Close: Loonie slightly lower on Thursday

By MarketsFarm

WINNIPEG, Aug. 20 (MarketsFarm) – The Canadian dollar was slightly weaker on Thursday, due to losses in the crude oil sector.

The dollar finished the day at US$0.7579 or US$1=C$1.3195, compared to Monday when it closed at US$0.7592 or US$1=C$1.3171.

Ottawa has announced the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) will be extended for four more weeks until the end of September. Canada’s employment minister Carla Qualtrough also announced three additional benefits for Canadians who aren’t eligible for Employment Insurance: The Canada Recover Benefit, the Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit, and the Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit.

The TSX Composite Index gained 29.38 points to close at 16,606.76.

Benchmark crude oil prices were slightly stronger. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was down 35 cents to close at US$42.58. Brent Crude was down 47 cents at US$44.90.
Canada’s agricultural sector fared as follows:

Buhler Int.  dn  $ 0.03     at $ 2.48
Linamar Corp.                    dn  $ 0.64     at $ 41.53
Maple Leaf Foods                 dn $ 0.23     at $ 29.66
Nutrien Ltd.                     dn  $ 0.92     at $ 50.45
Ritchie Bros Auctioneers Inc.    dn  $ 0.52     at $ 83.50
Rocky Mountain Dealerships Inc.  up $ 0.10     at $  5.05

(All figures are in Canadian dollars.)