By MarketsFarm
WINNIPEG, Sept. 18 (MarketsFarm) – The Canadian dollar was slightly firmer Monday morning, with advances in crude oil providing some support for the energy-linked currency.
At 8:40 a.m. CDT Monday morning the Canadian dollar was at US$0.7410 or US$1=C$1.3495, which compares with Friday’s close of US$0.7393 or US$1=C$1.3526.
Canada’s Industrial Product Price Index was up by 1.5 per cent in August compared to the previous month, but down by 0.5 per cent annually, according to updated data from Statistics Canada. The country’s Raw Materials Price Index was up by 3.0 per cent on the month but still down by 4.3 per cent over the year.
Canadian housing starts came in at 252,800 units in March, according to a report from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation. That was down slightly from July but above pre-report expectations.
Crude oil was stronger, with West Texas Intermediate up by 1.12 per cent at US$91.89 per barrel.
The TSX was weaker, down by 70.85 points at 8:40 CDT, trading at 20,559.40 points.
