Canadian Financial Close: TSX chalks up gains to start week

By Commodity News Service Canada

WINNIPEG, May 16 – The Canadian dollar ended higher against its US counterpart on Monday, as investors rallied behind a surge in oil prices.

Traders may also have been adjusting their positions ahead of Tuesday’s release of March manufacturing sales data.

The Canadian dollar closed at US$0.7754 or US$1=C$1.2896, which compares with Friday’s close of US$0.7731, or US$1=C$1.2935.

The Standard & Poor’s/TSX Composite Index finished stronger Monday, after all of Toronto’s major industry sectors chalked up gains.

The energy group led the charge recording an advance of 2.9%.

The S&P/TSX Composite index jumped 144.91 points, or 1.05%, to 13,893.49.

Canada’s agricultural sector performed as follows:
AGT Food and Ingredients—–dn $ 0.99 at $ 35.27
Agrium Incorporated———-up $ 3.62 at $115.51
Buhler Industries————dn $ 0.05 at $ 4.90
Maple Leaf Foods————-up $ 0.43 at $ 29.70
Potash Corp. of Sask———up $ 0.42 at $ 20.72

(All figures are in Canadian dollars.)