Glacier FarmMedia – The Canadian dollar stepped back on Friday morning, following the latest Statistic Canada unemployment report.
As of 8:36 am CDT, the Canadian dollar was at US$0.7299 or US$1=C$1.3698 compared to Thursday’s close of US$0.7344 or US$1=C$1.3617. On the United States Dollar Index, the greenback bumped up 0.286 of a point at 99.790.
StatCan said the unemployment rate in February rose to 6.7 per cent with a loss of 84,000 jobs after forecasts called for an increase of 10,000 positions.
Benchmark crude oil prices were lower on Friday morning, after an India-flagged tanker left the Strait of Hormuz bound for Africa, and the Trump administration granted 30-day waivers for countries turning to Russian oil and petroleum products.
West Texas Intermediate gave up US$1.73 at US$94.00 per barrel and Brent crude slipped US$1.23 at US$99.23.
In Friday morning activity, the TSX/S&P Composite Index gained 128.36 points at 32,968.96.
Gold was down US$10.40 at US$5,115.40 per ounce.
