MONEY IN BRIEF

Currencies

These are indicative wholesale rates for foreign currency provided by the Bank of Canada on Thursday. Quotations in Canadian funds.

Australia dollar Brazil real China renminbi Euro

Hong Kong dollar India rupee Indonesia rupiah Japan yen Malaysia ringgit Mexico peso N.Z. dollar Norway krone Peruvian new sol Russia rouble Saudi riyal Singapore dollar South Africa rand South Korean won Sweden krona Switzerland franc Taiwanese dollar Thailand baht Turkey lira

U.K. pound

U.S. dollar Vietnam dong

0.9950 0.3914 0.1949 1.5363 0.1576 0.01939 0.000093 0.01132 0.3171 0.06669 0.9072 0.1603 0.3838 0.02209 0.3286 0.9441 0.10390 0.001162 0.1565 1.3152 0.04240 0.03928 0.3296 1.7558 1.2323 0.000054

Financial highlights

Highlights at the close Thursday at world financial market trading. Stocks

S&P/TSX Composite Index – 16,204.01, down 80.20 points Dow – 26,392.79, up 140.67 points (record high)

S&P 500 – 2,839.25, up 1.71 points (record high) Nasdaq – 7,411.16, down 3.90 points

Currencies

Cdn – 81.15 cents US, up 0.12 of a cent

Pound – C$1.7558, up 0.27 of a cent

Euro – C$1.5363, up 0.72 of a cent Euro – US$1.2467, up 0.77 of a cent

Oil futures

US$65.51, down 10 cents (March contract)

Gold futures

US$1,362.90 per oz., up $6.60 (February contract)

Canadian Fine Silver Handy and Harman

$22.521 oz., up 16.2 cents $724.05 kg., up $5.21

The markets today

TORONTO (CP) — The loonie continued to strengthen against a weakened greenback Thursday, as the Toronto stock index fell moderately amid slumping oil prices.

The Canadian dollar closed at an average trading value of 81.15 cents US, up 0.12 of a U.S. cent. The U.S. currency has fallen to three-year lows and fell sharply on Wednesday following comments by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who said the weaker dollar is good for U.S. exporters.

America’s economy has grown at a faster pace in the last few quarters, and usually the U.S. dollar gets stronger when economic growth picks up. But the economies of many other countries are growing at a faster pace, which has made currencies like the euro stronger compared to the greenback.

In equity markets, Toronto’s S&P/ TSX composite index was down 80.20 points to 16,204.01, amid a broad-based decline in major sectors.

South of the border, Wall Street indexes were mixed as lacklustre technology companies held back gains elsewhere.