By Commodity News Service Canada
WINNIPEG, September 1 – The Canadian dollar hit its highest
point in two years, relative to its US counterpart, as job
numbers in the US failed to impress investors.
The US added just 156,000 jobs in August, which was well
below expectations heading into today.
The loonie has risen 4% in the past month, which has
sparked ideas the Bank of Canada could hike interest rates.
Gains in crude oil prices, natural gas and gold bullion
tempered the losses.
The Canadian dollar ended Friday at US$0.8071 cents or
C$1.2390, compared to Thursday’s North American close of
US$0.7977 or C$1.2536.
Canadian bonds declined due to the poor US job numbers. The
10-year bond yield was at 1.913% from 1.851%.
In Toronto, the S&P/TSX Composite Index declined by 20.27
points, or 0.13% to 15,191.60.
Canada’s agricultural sector performed as follows:
AGT Food and Ingredients—–dn $ 0.05 at $ 25.73
Agrium Incorporated———-dn $ 0.70 at $121.78
Buhler Industries————– $ 0.00 at $ 4.45
Maple Leaf Foods————-up $ 0.15 at $ 34.45
Potash Corp. of Sask———dn $ 0.08 at $ 21.65
(All figures are in Canadian dollars.)
