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 0.9750 0.3405 0.1975 1.5374 0.1678 0.01922 0.000092 0.01171 0.3258 0.06978 0.8919 0.1625 0.4022 0.02117 0.3511 0.9662 0.09880 0.001171 0.1486 1.3152 0.04316 0.03964 0.2713 1.7405 1.3166 0.000057

Financial highlights

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

S&P/TSX Composite Index - 16,567.42, up 150.10 points (record close)

Dow - 24,924.89, up 224.44 points

S&P 500 - 2,798.29, up 24.27 points

Nasdaq - 7,823.92, up 107.31 points (record close) Currencies:

Cdn - 75.95 cents US, down 0.09 of a cent

Pound - C$1.7405, unchanged Euro - C$1.5374, down 0.25 of a cent

Euro - US$1.1677, down 0.32 of a cent

Oil futures:

US$70.33, down five cents (August contract)

Gold futures:

US$1,246.60 per oz., up $2.20 (August contract)

Canadian Fine Silver Handy and Harman:

$21.919 oz., up 24.1 cents $704.70 kg., up $7.75

The markets today

A broad-based relief rally helped Canada’s main stock index close at a record high Thursday after markets retreated globally a day earlier, while U.S. stock markets also pushed higher.

The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index closed up 150.10 points or 0.91 per cent at 16,567.42 to top the record high set on Tuesday.

The gains came a day after markets fell following the release by the U.S. of a list of $200 billion in Chinese goods that could be hit by tariffs, against which China promised to retaliate.

“The markets had gotten quite negative over trade tariffs and trade tensions,” said Anish Chopra, managing director with Portfolio Management Corp. Trade uncertainty has helped keep various sectors down, but all major indexes on the TSX showed gains Thursday in something of a relief rally, said Chopra. The S&P/TSX information technology index had the highest gains with a 2.96 per cent climb, while energy, base metals and financials showed gains of under one per cent.

He said the possibility of talks between China and the U.S. at an upcoming G20 meeting could have helped ease tension on the market.

In New York, the Nasdaq composite index closed up 107.30 points or 1.39 per cent at 7,823.92 to also set a record high. The Dow Jones industrial average closed up 224.44 points at 24,924.89 and the S&P 500 index closed up 24.27 points at 2,798.29.