Stocks in Canada’s largest centre were higher in morning trade on Monday, helped by energy stocks as the price of oil rose, while miners broadly weighed.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index moved positive 23.35 points to greet noon at 15,690.48
The Canadian dollar vaulted 0.41 cents at 74.93 cents U.S.
Markets throughout North America are closed Friday for Good Friday
The heavyweight energy group climbed, with Canadian Natural Resources adding 1.6% to $45.33 and EnCana Corp. up 2.2% at $15.89, as a shutdown at Libya's largest oilfield and political tensions in the Middle East supported prices.
Stock market operator TMX Group rose 0.5% to $70.96 after China's state-owned clearing house said on Saturday that it will work with the company to expedite cross-border investments.
Financial stocks were barely higher overall, as Toronto-Dominion Bank gained 0.3% to $66.42 and insurer Manulife Financial rose 0.4% to $23.40.
The materials group, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, lost ground, as Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd lost 0.9% to $59.26 and Goldcorp declined 0.6% to $19.65.
Shares of Ritchie Bros Auctioneers slid 7.7% to $39.58 after a bank cut its rating on the stock
On the economic slate, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation reported that housing starts rose to 253,720 units in March, topping economists' forecasts for 215,000. February was revised slightly higher to 214,253 units.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange subtracted 0.57 points to 823.70
Seven of the 12 TSX subgroups moved upward by lunch hour, as energy gushed 1.3%, industrials up 0.5%, and health-care up 0.1%.
The five laggards were co-led financials and gold, each down 0.3%, and information technology, off 0.2%.
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. equities began to wilt by noon ET on Monday as investors shrugged off rising geopolitical tensions while looking ahead to the start of earnings season.
The Dow Jones Industrials fell into the red 28.59 points to 20,627.51, with Caterpillar contributing the most gains and IBM the most losses.
The S&P 500 fell three points to 2,352.14, with energy rising 0.8%, leading advancers.
The NASDAQ Composite subtracted 10.43 points to 5,867.38
President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met at the Mar-a-Lago in Florida last week, in which the two leaders seemed to get along well. Some market participants looked at the meeting as a potential risk for stocks.
Investors also contended with a U.S. airstrike on a Syrian airfield late Thursday and, on Saturday, a U.S. official told media outlets that a U.S. Navy strike group will be moving close to the Korean peninsula as a show of force.
JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Citigroup are among the companies set to report earnings this week.
Prices for the benchmark 10-year Treasury note gained, dropping yields to 2.35% from Friday’s 2.38%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices heightened 68 cents at $52.92 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices remained negative 80 cents at $1,256.50 U.S. an ounce.
