Canada’s economy created a better than expected 79,500 jobs in November, pushing the unemployment rate down to 5.9 percent, the lowest since February 2008.
The data caused investors to drive up the value of the loonie as analysts say the robust jobs picture indicates that the Bank of Canada could raise interest rates in 2018.
Statistics Canada said the gross domestic product grew at an annualized 1.7 percent in the third quarter, cooling from red-hot growth in the first half of the year.
Private analysts expected 1.6 percent growth in the third quarter.