By Commodity News Service Canada
WINNIPEG, February 17 – The Canadian dollar chalked up gains against its US counterpart Wednesday, taking strength from surging crude oil futures. Oil jumped by five percent as members of OPEC appeared to welcome the prospects of a freeze on output.
The Canadian dollar closed at US$0.7297 or US$1 = C$1.3705.
The Standard & Poor’s/TSX Composite Index finished higher Wednesday, posting advances for the third straight day. Both energy and financial stocks climbed alongside a run on equities.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index jumped 312.18 points, or 2.50%, to 12,867.16.
Canada’s agricultural sector performed as follows:
AGT Food and Ingredients—–dn $ 0.36 at $ 35.79
Agrium Incorporated———-up $ 0.68 at $115.96
Buhler Industries————– $ 0.00 at $ 5.03
Maple Leaf Foods————-up $ 0.70 at $ 23.76
Potash Corp. of Sask———up $ 1.57 at $ 23.31
(All figures are in Canadian dollars.)
