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The Canadian dollar strengthened to C$0.9867 versus the greenback, or $1.0135, from around C$0.9903, or $1.0100, immediately before the release.
It was already on firmer ground heading into the report, boosted by speculation the European Central Bank will intervene in the region's bond market, and ahead of a highly anticipated speech by US Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke later in the day.