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 0.9902 0.3892 0.2050 1.5867 0.1643 0.01980 0.000094 0.01212 0.3334 0.07074 0.9305 0.1643 0.3996 0.02245 0.3438 0.9836 0.10880 0.001213 0.1543 1.3482 0.04425 0.04127 0.3260 1.8106 1.2894 0.000057

Financial highlights

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

S&P/TSX Composite Index – 15,367.29, up 197.35 points Dow – 24,103.11, up 254.69 points

S&P 500 – 2,640.87, up 35.87 points

Nasdaq – 7,063.45, up 114.22 points

Currencies:

Cdn – 77.56 cents US, up 0.05 of a cent

Pound – C$1.8106, down 0.90 of a cent

Euro – C$1.5867, down 0.57 of a cent

Euro – US$1.2306, down 0.36 of a cent

Oil futures:

US$64.94, up 56 cents

(May contract)

Gold futures:

US$1,327.30 per oz., down $2.70 (June contract)

Canadian Fine Silver Handy and Harman:

$21.943 oz., up 1.5 cents $705.47 kg., up 48 cents

The markets today

TORONTO (CP) — A broad rally in Toronto allowed Canada’s main stock index to close the quarter with a triple-digit gain Thursday as U.S. markets also posted strong results.

Strong performances from the four main North American indexes came despite no clear triggers for the gains, said Kash Pashootan, CEO and chief investment officer at First Avenue Investment Counsel Inc.

“What’s interesting is there’s no real catalysts to the market going up today, compared to the pessimism and concerns that have led to the enhanced levels of turbulence in the last few weeks.” He said some of the gains could potentially be attributed to the end of quarter practice of dumping underperforming stocks and buying rising stocks to improve portfolio appearances at quarter end ahead of the Easter holiday weekend.

“A pessimist may look at this market and say the rise today is rooted in window dressing from portfolio managers given the quarter is ending, given that really the news and the sentiment has not changed in any significant way.”

The markets can expect continued wide swings as the sources of volatility, including trade war uncertainty and heightened valuations, are still present, said Pashootan.

The Canadian dollar closed at 77.56, up 0.05 cents US even as the Canadian economy posted lower-than-expected January GDP numbers.