By MarketsFarm
WINNIPEG, Jan. 10 (MarketsFarm) – The Canadian dollar was stronger Friday morning following the release of an employment report from Statistics Canada.
As of 8:44 CST, the Canadian dollar was at US$0.7663 or C$1.3049. That compares to Thursday’s North American close of US$0.7646 or C$1.3079.
Statistics Canada reported that approximately 35,200 mostly full-time jobs were added in December. For 2019 about 320,000 jobs were created. As well, Canada’s unemployment rate dropped from 5.9 per cent to 5.6. However the pace of wage growth slowed to 3.8 per cent from 4.4 in 2018.
Crude oil prices were lower Thursday morning as tensions in the Middle East eased and on increased United States inventories.
Brent crude oil was down 38 cents at US$65.22 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate lost 19 cents at US$59.41 per barrel. Meanwhile, Western Canadian Select dropped US$1.18 at US$35.57 per barrel.
The TSX/S&P Composite Index was down 21.37 at 17,214.20 points.
Gold was up US$1.83 at US$1,554.15 per ounce.
