WINNIPEG – The Canadian dollar ended 2022 on a positive note on Friday.
The loonie closed at US$0.7383 or US$1=C$1.3544, up from US$0.7376 or US$1=C$1.3557 on Thursday. By comparison, the Bank of Canada’s (BoC) exchange rate on Dec. 31, 2021 was 79.01 United States cents.
The U.S. Dollar Index declined 0.34 of a point at 103.49.
Crude oil prices surged on Friday as the market anticipates less Russian crude oil and greater demand from China despite rising numbers of new COVID-19 infections. Brent crude oil jumped US$2.45 per barrel to US$85.91. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil rose US$2.04 at US$80.44/barrel. Western Canadian Select (WCS) added US$1.89/barrel to US$52.64.
The TSX/S&P Composite Index lost 100.97 points to 19,384.92.
Gold increased US$4.10 at US$1,830.10 per ounce.
Canada’s agricultural sector fared as follows:
Buhler Ind. up $ 0.18 at $ 1.93
Farmer’s Edge Inc. dn $ 0.02 at $ 0.28
Linamar Corp. dn $ 0.39 at $ 61.30
Maple Leaf Foods up $ 0.35 at $ 24.45
Nutrien Ltd. dn $ 0.48 at $ 98.85
Ritchie Bros Auctioneers Inc. dn $ 0.38 at $ 78.21
(All figures are in Canadian dollars.)
