WINNIPEG: ICE canola futures rose on Thursday, boosted by demand from crushers.

* Crush margins have steadily climbed, due to canola's recent declines, spurring buying by crushers, a trader said.

* Canola's gains may also reflect spreads in which traders buy canola and sell soybeans, the trader said.

* November canola gained $1 to $451.20 per tonne.

* November-January canola spread traded 2,364 times.

* Chicago November soybeans dropped on a forecast for rain in the US Midwest.

* Paris Matif November rapeseed futures rose and Malaysian October palm oil futures fell 2% on concerns of a US recession.

* The Canadian dollar held close to an eight-day low it hit earlier in the session as investors raised bets for an interest rate cut this year by the Bank of Canada.

* Harvest is underway in Saskatchewan, the government of the Canadian province said.