By Commodity News Service Canada
WINNIPEG, July 13 – The Canadian dollar continued to make gains against its US counterpart on Thursday, rising nearly a third of a cent.
The loonie took strength from new data showing that house prices rose for a second straight month. Canada’s new housing price index increased 0.7% in May on a month-over-month basis with Toronto and Vancouver leading the surge.
The Canadian dollar ended Thursday at US$0.7847 cents or C$1.2743, compared to Wednesday’s close of US$0.7816 or C$1.2794.
In Toronto, the S&P/TSX Composite Index declined 8.99 points, or 0.06%, to 15,135.00.
Gains in crude oil were offset by losses in gold bullion, copper and natural gas.
Canada’s agricultural sector performed as follows:
AGT Food and Ingredients—–up $ 0.72 at $ 24.83
Agrium Incorporated———-up $ 2.03 at $123.52
Buhler Industries————– $ 0.00 at $ 4.23
Maple Leaf Foods————-up $ 0.13 at $ 32.66
Potash Corp. of Sask———up $ 0.42 at $ 22.20
(All figures are in Canadian dollars.)
