Canadian Financial Close: Loonie strengthens to end week

Glacier FarmMedia | MarketsFarm  – The Canadian dollar was back in positive territory on Friday, ending the week 0.90 of a United States cent higher than one week earlier.

The loonie closed at US$0.6994 or US$1=C$1.4298, more than US$0.6982 or US$1=C$1.4322 on Thursday. Statistics Canada reported today that the country added 76,000 jobs in December and the unemployment rate declined 0.1 of a point from November at 6.6 per cent.

The U.S. Dollar Index added 0.41 points at 108.10.

Crude oil was higher on Friday after the Trump administration announced sanctions against Iranian crude exports. Brent crude oil added US$0.32 at US$74.61 per barrel. West Texas Intermediate advanced US$0.36 at US$70.97/barrel.

The TSX/S&P Composite Index lost 91.58 points at 25,442.91.

Gold climbed $12.00 per ounce at US$2,888.70.

Canada’s agricultural sector fared as follows:

Buhler Ind.                      unchanged      at $  3.45

Farmer’s Edge Inc.               unchanged      at $  0.345

Linamar Corp.                    dn  $ 1.20     at $ 52.66

Maple Leaf Foods                 up  $ 0.01     at $ 21.34

Nutrien Ltd.                     dn  $ 0.37     at $ 71.92

RB Global Inc.                   up  $ 1.44     at $132.43

(All figures are in Canadian dollars.)