* Canadian dollar at C$1.2724, or 78.59 U.S. cents
* Bond prices retreat across the yield curve
* Prices of oil settle 0.7 percent lower
By Fergal Smith
TORONTO, Nov 8 (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar strengthened against its U.S. counterpart on Wednesday but held within its recent range after failing to get additional guidance from a speech the day before by Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz.
At 4 p.m. EST (2100 GMT), the Canadian dollar CAD=D4 was trading at C$1.2724 to the greenback, or 78.59 U.S. cents, up 0.4 percent.
The currency has recovered from a 3-1/2 month low at C$1.2916 less than two weeks ago to touch on Monday its strongest in 12 days at C$1.2701. It traded on Wednesday between C$1.2715 and C$1.2777.
"Markets are range-bound," said David Bradley, director of foreign exchange trading at Scotiabank.
In a speech and news conference on Tuesday, Poloz maintained a neutral tone on the next interest rate move, repeating the bank's message that it was monitoring wage growth and inflation, as well as economic capacity to see how the economy was adjusting to rate hikes in July and September. don't think that the tone he gave off yesterday would cause anyone to think that the path of rates is going to change from before he spoke," Bradley said.
The central bank held its benchmark rate steady at 1 percent in October and investors expect no further increases until the first half of 2018. BOCWATCH
Canadian seasonally adjusted housing starts were 222,771 in October, increasing from a revised 219,293 units in September. separate domestic housing data, the value of building permits rose by 3.8 percent in September from August, the first increase in three months. of oil, one of Canada's major exports, fell after U.S. government data showed rising domestic crude production, a surprise build in U.S. stockpiles and a decline in monthly Chinese crude imports, a triple blow that was offset somewhat by rising tensions in the Middle East. crude CLc1 prices settled 0.7 percent lower at $56.81 a barrel.
Canada will not be rushed into the Trans Pacific Partnership, so as to ensure a deal that serves its best interests, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday. government bond prices were lower across the yield curve as investors digested federal and provincial bond supply, while U.S. Treasuries also lost ground.
The two-year CA2YT=RR fell 4 Canadian cents to yield 1.42 percent and the 10-year CA10YT=RR declined 18 Canadian cents to yield 1.915 percent.