CANADA FX DEBT – Canadian dollar adds to weekly gain as retail sales rise

* The Canadian dollar rises 0.2% against the greenback * Canadian retail sales rise 1.1% in September * US oil prices fall 0.2% * Canadian bond yield trading mixed on the curve TORONTO, Nov 20 (Reuters) – The Canadian dollar edged higher against its U.S. counterpart on Friday as domestic data showed a stronger-than-expected rise in retail sales in September, with the currency adding to the curve. advance this week. Canadian retail sales rose 1.1% in September on higher sales at general merchandise stores, Statistics Canada said. That beat the 0.2% gain expected by economists. The Canadian dollar rose 0.2% to 1.3050 per greenback, or 76.63 cents US. The currency traded in a range of 1.3047 to 1.3088. It has gained 0.6% since the start of the week. The loonie’s advance on Friday occurred even as the US dollar appreciated slightly against a basket of major currencies. Supporting the greenback, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin called for an end to some of the Federal Reserve’s pandemic lending. The price of oil, one of Canada’s top exports, has come under pressure due to new shutdowns in several countries to limit the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. US crude prices fell 0.2% to $41.66 a barrel. New daily cases of COVID-19 in Canada could climb to 60,000 by the end of the year, from less than 5,000 now, if people increase their daily contact, medical officials said in a grim forecast. Canadian government bond yields were mixed on the curve on Friday, with the 10-year down half a basis point at 0.670%. On Thursday, ratings agency Moody’s Investors Service confirmed Canada’s triple-A rating, saying the risk of a significant and lasting deterioration in Canada’s economic or fiscal strength as a result of the coronavirus crisis is low. (Reporting by Fergal Smith editing by Nick Zieminski)