The currencies of large oil exporters, including the Canadian dollar, Norwegian krone and Russian ruble rose against the U.S. dollar Monday as oil prices fluctuated between gains and losses.
The Canadian dollar CADUSD, -0.42% traded at 79.4 cents, rising off a six-year low of about 78 cents that was reached Friday.
The dollar USDRUB, +0.05% traded lower against the ruble after rising to its highest level against the Russian currency since its mid-December collapse. The ruble changed hands at 68.5 to the dollar, compared with 70 to the dollar Friday.
The Australian dollar AUDUSD, -1.81% also benefitted from stronger commodity prices. It traded at 78.19 cents, compared with 77.66 cents Friday afternoon, after the currency hit its lowest level against the buck since July 2009 last week.
The shared currency EURUSD, -0.08% rose to $1.1346, compared with $1.1285 Friday.
The dollar USDJPY, -0.50% was up to ¥117.68 compared with ¥117.41 late Friday in New York.
Gold futures were flat on Monday after rallying to their biggest monthly gain in three years last week but the precious metal is poised to strengthen with U.S. stocks under pressure.
Gold for April delivery on Comex GCJ5, -0.17% settled at $1,279.20 an ounce, unchanged from Friday, while March silver SIH5, -0.18% climbed 43 cents, or 2.6%, to $17.21 an ounce.
They noted that the bulk of the buying has occurred in SPDR Gold Trust GLD, -0.83% at 49.35 million tons, although European-listed products also drew fresh interest.
Elsewhere in the energy markets, gasoline for March delivery RBH5, +1.04% rose nearly 7 cents, or 4.5%, to end at $1.5446 a gallon on Nymex. Heating oil HOH5, -0.04% for the same month climbed more than 6 cents, or 3.3%, to $1.7575 a gallon on Nymex.
March natural gas NGH15, +1.04% bucked the trend, however, to lose a penny, or 0.4%, to settle at $2.68 per million British thermal units.
