Canadian Financial Close: Loonie up, gold sets new record

The Canadian dollar ended Wednesday just shy of the 72 United States cent mark.

The loonie closed at US$0.7199 or US$1=C$1.3890, compared to US$0.7177 or US$1=C$1.3934 on Tuesday. The Bank of Canada announced this morning that it was leaving its key interest rate unchanged at 2.75 per cent. It was the first time the central bank kept its rate as is since June.

The U.S. Dollar Index saw the greenback lose 0.93 of a point at 99.29.

Crude oil prices were higher after the U.S. imposed new sanctions on Chinese importers of Iranian oil. Brent crude oil gained US$1.37 at US$66.04 per barrel. West Texas Intermediate rose US$1.39 at US$62.72/barrel.

The TSX/S&P Composite Index added 38.86 points at 24,106.79.

Gold reached another all-time high at US$3,358.40 per ounce, up US$118.

Canada’s agricultural sector fared as follows:

Buhler Ind.                      unchanged      at $  7.29

Farmer’s Edge Inc.               unchanged      at $  0.345

Linamar Corp.                    dn  $ 1.88     at $ 46.78

Maple Leaf Foods                 dn  $ 0.03     at $ 24.05

Nutrien Ltd.                     up  $ 0.96     at $ 73.87

RB Global Inc.                   dn  $ 2.40     at $133.98

(All figures are in Canadian dollars.)