Canada's stock market finished the trading day higher on Thursday, with the S&P/TSX Composite closing up 0.33% in Toronto as sector gains in Materials, Industrials and Healthcare helped lift the index.
The session's largest percentage gainer on the S&P/TSX Composite was BlackBerry Ltd (TSX:BB), which jumped 19.25% - adding 2.36 points to finish at 14.62. Jamieson Wellness Inc (TSX:JWEL) recorded a 10.41% rise, climbing 3.79 points to end the day at 40.18. Precious metals miner Aya Gold & Silver Inc (TSX:AYA) also advanced, up 6.50% or 1.58 points to close at 25.90.
On the other side of the tape, MDA Ltd (TSX:MDA) led declines after falling 4.64% - down 2.49 points to 51.18 at the close. NexGen Energy Ltd. (TSX:NXE) slipped 4.53% or 0.65 points to finish at 13.69, and Energy Fuels Inc. (TSX:EFR) declined 3.98% - a drop of 0.85 points to 20.53.
Market breadth favored advancers: 527 stocks rose versus 428 that fell on the Toronto Stock Exchange, while 88 issues were unchanged.
Shares of BlackBerry Ltd and Jamieson Wellness each reached three-year highs during the session; BlackBerry closed up 19.25% at 14.62, and Jamieson Wellness closed up 10.41% at 40.18.
Implied volatility for the Canadian large-cap index eased as the S&P/TSX 60 VIX fell 1.10% to 15.24.
Commodity markets were active with several notable moves. Gold Futures for August delivery rose 0.88% - an increase of 35.40 - to $4,044.20 a troy ounce. In energy markets, crude oil for August delivery gained 2.10% or 1.48 to reach $71.82 a barrel, while the September Brent contract rose 2.02% or 1.49 to trade at $75.36 a barrel.
Currency markets showed little change for the Canadian dollar: CAD/USD was unchanged, moving 0.24% to 0.70, and CAD/EUR was essentially flat, up 0.12% to 0.62. The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.18% at 101.21.
Key market snapshots from the session:
- S&P/TSX Composite: +0.33% at close in Toronto.
- Top gainers included BlackBerry Ltd (up 19.25% to 14.62) and Jamieson Wellness Inc (up 10.41% to 40.18).
- Largest decliners included MDA Ltd (down 4.64% to 51.18) and NexGen Energy Ltd. (down 4.53% to 13.69).
This session's price moves were accompanied by a modest decline in implied volatility and rising commodity prices, while the Canadian dollar and the U.S. dollar index showed only small changes.