The Canadian dollar strengthened against the greenback on Friday, and the yield on benchmark government debt slipped. The loonie was trading 0% higher at C$1.3726 to the greenback, or 72.85 U.S. cents, after trading in a range of 1.3717 to 1.3737. Canadian government 10-year bond yields fell 2.7 basis points to 3.052%. The yield on similar U.S. government benchmark debt fell to 3.8787%. U.S. September crude futures fell $1.67 to $76.49 a barrel on Friday. Canadian factory sales fell 2.1% in June from the previous month, Statistics Canada said. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected factory sales to drop 2.6%. Canadian housing starts in July rose more than expected to 279,500 units from a revised 241,600 units the previous month, the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) said. A survey of 12 economists polled by Reuters had forecast July housing starts rising to 245,000 units.
