MONEY IN BRIEF

Currencies

These are indicative wholesale rates for foreign currency provided by the Bank of Canada on Friday. 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 0.9913 0.3909 0.1999 1.5580 0.1619 0.01957 0.000093 0.01187 0.3233 0.06826 0.9237 0.1613 0.3899 0.02249 0.3378 0.9593 0.10960 0.001176 0.1551 1.3536 0.04328 0.04031 0.3344 1.7706 1.2668 0.000056

Financial highlights

Highlights at the close Friday at world financial market trading. Stocks:

S&P/TSX Composite Index – 15,638.45, up 130.28 points Dow – 25,309.99, up 347.51 points

S&P 500 – 2,747.30, up 43.34 points

Nasdaq – 7,337.39, up 127.30 points

Currencies:

Cdn – 78.94 cents US, up 0.26 of a cent

Pound – C$1.7706, down 0.16 of a cent

Euro – C$1.5580, down 0.84 of a cent

Euro – US$1.2299, down 0.26 of a cent

Oil futures:

US$63.55, up 78 cents (April contract)

Gold futures:

US$1,330.30 per oz., down $2.40 (April contract)

Canadian Fine Silver Handy and Harman: daily quote unavailable from source; office closed on Fridays ( Thursday: $22.065 oz.; $709.39 kg.)

The markets today

TORONTO (CP) — North American stock markets pushed higher Friday as a broad-based rally helped lift Canada’s main stock index. The S&P/TSX composite index was up 130.28 points to 15,638.45. A surging energy sector led the advance.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 347.51 points to 25,309.99. The S&P 500 index was up 43.34 points to 2,747.30 and the Nasdaq composite index was up 127.30 points to 7,337.39.

“The market is benefiting from the fact that as we’ve gotten through this February flop we’ve had a return to rationality and a focus on fundamentals,” said Jamie Robertson, managing director of the portfolio solutions group at Manulife Asset Management. “I think the market’s appetite for volatility is exhausted.” The tumult that saw global equity markets begin to fall at the beginning of February was triggered by U.S. jobs data that showed wages grew more than anticipated, raising worries that signs of higher inflation might push the U.S. Federal Reserve to increase interest rates more quickly. Markets have since bounced back but have been at the mercy of investor’s changing opinions day-to-day on inflation and the Fed.

In currency markets, the Canadian dollar reversed its week-long slide, closing at an average trading value of 78.94 cents US, up 0.26 of a U.S. cent.