Equities in Canada’s largest market closed with a flourish Friday, mostly on the strength of bank and tech stocks.
The S&P/TSX Composite climbed 77.28 points to finish the day and the week at 15,476.39
The Canadian dollar pointed upward 0.01 cents at 76.76 cents U.S.
In the tech sector, BlackBerry took on three cents to $9.11, while Constellation Software hiked $11.25, or 2%, to $589.16.
Among financials, CIBC jumped $1.28, or 1.2%, to $112.89, while RBC gained 84 cents to $94.60.
In the industrial sector, Bombardier gained two cents to $2.59, while Canadian National Railway moved ahead 66 cents to $90.36.
Energy stocks struck a sour note with Canadian Natural Resources down 40 cents to $39.92, while EnCana Corporation backpedaled 24 cents, or 1.5%, to $16.33.
Materials stocks floundered, as First Quantum Minerals lost 56 cents, or 3.4%, to $16.06, while Cameco lost eight cents to $13.91.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange gained 3.05 points to 819.28
Eight of the 12 subgroups finished positive Friday, with information technology surging 0.9%, financials up 0.8%, and industrials up 0.5%.
The four laggards were weighed most by energy, materials and telecoms, each down 0.1%.
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. equities rallied on Friday, with financials rising around 2%, following a stronger-than-expected employment report.
The Dow Jones Industrials moved skyward 186.55 points to 20,071.46, posting its best trading day of the year — with Goldman Sachs contributed the most gains.
The S&P 500 gained 16.57 points to 2,297.42, with financials leading advancers
The NASDAQ jumped 30.57 points to 5,666.77, at a record high.
Economically speaking, the U.S. Labor Department said the U.S. economy added 227,000 jobs in January, while the unemployment rate ticked higher to 4.8%. Economists expected payrolls to grow by 175,000 with the unemployment rate holding steady.
Other data released Friday included December factory orders, which rose 1.3%, and the January read on the Institute for Supply Management non-manufacturing index, which came in at 56.5, slightly below December's 56.6.
Prices for the benchmark 10-year Treasury note sagged, raising yields to 2.48%, from Thursday’s 2.47%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices increased 31 cents to $53.85 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices held onto gains of $1.10 to $1,220.50 U.S. an ounce.
