Canadian Dollar Reaches 3-Week High on Syria, Economic Growth

The Canadian dollar gained for a third day, touching a three-week high, as a Russian bid to get Syria to surrender its chemical weapons that may avert a U.S. attack boosted demand for riskier assets.

The currency advanced versus the majority of its 16 most-traded peers even after Canada’s federal housing agency said housing starts in August posted their biggest drop in seven months. The currency gained the previous two days against its U.S. counterpart as data on building permits and employment growth exceeded analysts’ forecasts. Yields on government 10-year bonds rose to a two-year high.