* C$ up slightly at 85.81 U.S. cents
* Friday's Canadian jobs data in focus
* Bond prices tilt lower across curve
By Frank Pingue
TORONTO, July 8 (Reuters) - Canada's currency rose slightly versus the U.S. dollar on Wednesday to recoup a sliver of the ground lost during the prior session, but the move was capped ahead of key domestic jobs data due later this week.
Investors opted to shy away from big commitments given the data due on Friday that is expected to show Canada's economy shed 35,000 jobs in June while the unemployment rate moves to 8.7 percent from 8.5 percent in May.
At 7:45 a.m. (1145 GMT), the Canadian unit was at C$1.1653 to the U.S. dollar, or 85.81 U.S. cents, up from C$1.1661 to the U.S. dollar, or 85.76 U.S. cents, at Tuesday's close.
"There has been a bit of an inclination for the U.S. dollar to pick up a bit of steam lately and for some other currencies to take it on the chin as a result," said Eric Lascelles, chief economics and rates strategist at TD Securities.
"But the Canadian dollar has managed to resist in the last little while ... and we do continue to fall back on the notion that Canada has a structurally healthier economy than the U.S., a healthier banking sector and is not engaged in quantitative easing."
Prices for oil and gold, both key Canadian exports whose prices often influence the domestic currency, were lower but not enough to lessen the value of the Canadian dollar.
Lascelles said commodity prices could take another run upwards at some point, but that until then it is hard to imagine the Canadian dollar making a significant charge at reaching parity with the greenback.
Domestic bond prices were slightly lower across the curve on concerns about more supply coming to the market and as stock futures were pointing to a higher open.
The Bank of Canada will announce shortly after midday the results from its C$3.5 billion auction of government of Canada bonds. The bonds have a coupon of 2.0 percent and mature on Sept. 1, 2012.
(Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
