The loonie was trading 0.2% lower at 1.3285 to the greenback, or 75.27 U.S. cents. The currency, which on Wednesday notched its strongest intraday level since Feb. 21 at 1.3229, traded in a range of 1.3243 to 1.3303.
Global shares slipped after top congressional Democrats and White House officials appeared to harden their stances on new coronavirus relief legislation on Wednesday.
The price of oil, one of Canada's major exports, was supported on Thursday by recent weakening of the U.S. dollar and falling U.S. crude inventories. U.S. crude prices were up 0.8% at $42.54 a barrel.
Strategists are raising their forecasts for the Canadian dollar as commodity prices rise and the domestic economy shows signs of recovery, according to a Reuters poll.
Canada's employment report for July is due on Friday. It could offer additional evidence of economic recovery after nearly 1 million jobs were added in June.
Housing sales volumes in the area of Toronto, Canada's most populous city, soared to a monthly record in July as buyers came out in full force following a spring lull amid restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) said on Thursday.
Canadian government bond yields were lower across a flatter curve, with the 10-year down 4 basis points at 0.463%.
(Reporting by Fergal Smith; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
