The Canadian Simon and Garfunkel currency was pressured by a slump in the

The Canadian probes Simon and Garfunkel currency was simon and garfunkle tells pressured by a slump in the priceof oil CLc1, which fell below $40 a barrel on fears recessionis reducing global demand [ID:nSYD425287]. The Canadian currency also continued to weaken after anegative tone set by reports on Friday from both Canada and theUnited States that showed disappointing monthly employmentfigures that further heightened concerns about the depth of theU.S recession "It's a combination of U.S. dollar strength and decliningenergy prices," said Carlos Leitao, chief economist atLaurentian Bank Securities, in Montreal. Canada is a major oil producer and exporter and anymovements in the price of crude often pressure the Canadiancurrency.

Data on Monday showed prices for new housing in Canada fellfor the second straight month in November due to flat or lowerprices in the western provinces where real estate markets werepreviously booming i am a rock simon and garfunkel . Leitao said he did not expect the figuresto have much impact on the market garfunkel . BONDS FLAT TO HIGHER Canadian government bond prices were higher as Torontoequities fell and as the release of the Bank of Canada'sBusiness Outlook Survey and Senior Loan Officer Survey showed agloomy picture simon and garfunkel 'song for the asking . The bank surveys showed lending conditions in the countryworsened considerably in the fourth quarter and overallbusiness sentiment is at its worst in at least a decade.[ID:nOTW000213] The readings could put upward pressure on bond pricesthroughout the day, said Mark Chandler, fixed income strategistRBC Capital Markets simon and garfunkel 'song . "It's the last piece of information before the Bank ofCanada meets next week," Chandler said. The Bank of Canada is due to announce its next interestrate decision on Jan 20 with the market expecting a cut. The two-year bond was up 6 Canadian cents at C$103.14 toyield 1.058 percent, while the 10-year bond rose 18 Canadiancents to C$111.98 to yield 2.789 percent.

The yield spread between the two-year and 10-year bond wasat 182 basis points versus 171 at the previous close cecilia simon and garfunkel . The 30-year bond was up 10 Canadian cents to yield 3.625percent simon and gartfunkel . In the United States, the 30-year treasury yielded3.0210 percent simon and carfunkel . (Reporting by Jennifer Kwan; editing by Peter Galloway) Currencies Bonds simon and garfankel . BETHESDA, Md., Jan. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Capital Agency Corp.(Nasdaq: AGNC) ("AGNC") announced today that its Board of Directors hasappointed Gary Kain as the Company's Senior Vice President and ChiefInvestment Officer effective as of January 26, 2009.Mr.

Kain will succeedRussell Jeffrey, who will be pursuing the full time management of ProvidenceInvestment Management, LLC.Mr simon and garfunkel robinson . Jeffrey will continue to serve as a senioradvisor to AGNC.Mr simon and garfunkal . Kain most recently served as Senior Vice President of Investments andCapital Markets of Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("Freddie Mac").Healso served as Senior Vice President of Mortgage Investments & Structuring ofFreddie Mac from February 2005 to April 2008.Mr simon . Kain's group wasresponsible for managing all of Freddie Mac's mortgage investment activitiesfor the company's $700 billion retained portfolio.Previously, Mr simon & garfunkel tour .

Kain was also the head trader in Freddie Mac's SecuritiesSales & Trading Group where he was responsible for managing all tradingdecisions including REMIC structuring and underwriting, hedging all mortgagepositions, income generation and risk management.Prior to his promotion tohead trader in 1995, Mr . Kain served as a senior trader at Freddie Mac,responsible for managing the adjustable-rate mortgage and REMIC sectors.Mr.Kain joined Freddie Mac in 1988 as an analyst in the Financial ResearchDepartment.Mr simon and gurfunkel . Kain has also been appointed as a Senior Vice President and ManagingDirector of AGNC's affiliate, American Capital, Ltd., and will be based inAmerican Capital's Bethesda, Maryland home office simon & garfunkel . "We are very pleased to welcome Gary to our management team," stated MalonWilkus, Chairman, President and CEO of AGNC."The depth and breadth of Gary'sexperience managing all aspects of Freddie Mac's mortgage investment portfolio-- investment strategy, liability management, hedging and interest rate riskmanagement -- highlights his extensive knowledge of the agency MBS market.Webelieve that his skills and experience will help AGNC navigate the evolvingmortgage landscape while continuing to generate attractive risk adjustedreturns for our shareholders.We appreciate Russ' contribution to thestart-up of AGNC and look forward to his continued good advice, and wish himwell in his future activities."ABOUT AGNCAGNC is a REIT formed in 2008 to invest exclusively in agency pass-throughsecurities and collateralized mortgage obligations for which the principal andinterest payments are guaranteed by a U.S .