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 0.9992 0.3959 0.2032 1.5878 0.1646 0.01976 0.000094 0.01222 0.3302 0.06826 0.9325 0.1652 0.3957 0.02260 0.3437 0.9762 0.10780 0.001191 0.1561 1.3759 0.04399 0.04099 0.3380 1.7761 1.2891 0.000057
Financial highlights
Highlights at the close Friday at world financial market trading. Stocks:
S&P/TSX Composite Index – 15,384.59, down 9.36 points Dow – 24,538.06, down 70.92 points
S&P 500 – 2,691.25, up 13.58 points
Nasdaq – 7,257.87, up 77.31 points
Currencies:
Cdn – 77.57 cents US, down 0.24 of a cent
Pound – C$1.7761, up 0.95 of a cent
Euro – C$1.5878, up 1.95 cents Euro – US$1.2317, up 1.13 cents Oil futures:
US$61.25, up 26 cents (April contract)
Gold futures:
US$1,323.40 per oz., up $18.20 (April contract)
Canadian Fine Silver Handy and Harman:
Office closed on Fridays. ( Thursday: $21.847 oz., $702.38 kg.)
The markets today
TORONTO (CP) — Canada’s main stock index closed lower Friday, but off its lows for the day, after markets reassessed U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest statements about imposing stiff tariffs on steel and aluminum.
A global sell-off in stocks that began Thursday came back around to North America in morning trading after the president doubled down against growing backlash, saying “trade wars are good.”
If a trade war does indeed break out, it could threaten a strengthening global economy, but investors seemed to question how far Trump will end up going throughout afternoon trading. The S&P/TSX composite index finished down 9.36 points to 15,384.59, led by losses in the base metals and energy sectors. South of the border, U.S. stocks worked their way back from much steeper losses, finishing Friday mixed. The Dow Jones industrial average was down 70.92 points to 24,538.06. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 index was up 13.58 points to 2,691.25 and the Nasdaq composite index was up 77.31 points to 7,257.87. Trump told industry executives Thursday he plans to impose a tariff of 25 per cent on imported steel and 10 per cent on aluminum, sparking fears of escalating retaliation between countries. While China shrugged of the proposed tariffs, the president of the European Union’s governing body suggested possible tariffs. In currency markets, the Canadian dollar was trading at 77.57 cents US, down 0.24 of a U.S. cent.