* Loonie strengthens 0.56 pct vs greenback
* July inflation higher than expected
* 10-year yield rises to 2.262 percent
By James Thorne
NEW YORK, Aug 17 (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar gained against its U.S. counterpart on Friday after the country's annual inflation rate accelerated by more than expected, increasing prospects that the Bank of Canada might raise interest rates next month.
Canada's annual inflation rate rose 3 percent in July versus 2.5 percent the previous month as energy prices climbed. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 2.5 percent annual inflation. 9:35 a.m. EDT (1335 GMT), the Canadian dollar CAD=D4 was trading 0.56 percent higher at C$1.3078 to the greenback, or 0.7644 U.S. cents. On Monday, it neared a three-week low of C$1.3179.
"With that size of a shock, (the Canadian dollar) probably should have moved more," said Greg Anderson, global head of foreign exchange strategy at BMO Capital Markets in New York.
"This really does raise the possibility of the Bank of Canada raising rates in September again."
Money markets expect the central bank to hike its benchmark interest rate, which sits at 1.50 percent, once more by December. BOCWATCH
The CPI data came a day after a report from Statistics Canada that showed Canadian factory sales grew by 1.1 percent in June from May, a positive sign for manufacturing. remained broadly bullish on the U.S. dollar amid uncertainty around trade, Anderson said.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Thursday said he hoped there would be a breakthrough in NAFTA trade talks in the next few days. 10-year yield CA10YT=RR rose to 2.262 percent, from 2.256 percent late on Thursday.