950819

Canadian unit

maintains

previous levels

TORONTO: The Canadian dollar closed unchanged from Thursday's close, mired in its week-old range.

Dealers said a firm US dollar is supporting the Canadian currency, but an easy stance by the Bank of Canada and concerns about the upcoming Quebec referendum on separation from Canada continue to weigh on the unit.

Little change is forecast unless there is a major announcement on the referendum, with analysts pinpointing a short-term range of C$1.3575 and C$1.3635. Friday's range was particularly narrow and flows were thin, dealers said.

The Canadian dollar closed at C$1.3583 (US$0.7359) compared to C$1.3605 (US $0.7350) at Thursday's close.

On the croses, the Canadian dollar gained to 1.0869 marks from Thursday's close of 1.0835 marks and firmed to 71.78 yen from 71.42 yen.-Reuter