Stocks in Toronto started off the week with a bang, catapulted by tech and health-care issues.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index marched ahead 132.65 points to close Monday at 22,085.60, a new record high for the index.
The Canadian dollar jumped 0.25 cents to 80.08 cents U.S.
The rally was led by tech issues, such as Magnet Forensics, which travelled $1.70, or 6.2%, to $29.00, while Lightspeed POS leaped $1.90, or 4.9%, to $40.98.
Health-care had a field day, too, with Canopy Growth climbing 49 cents, or 5.3%, to $9.73, while Aurora Cannabis acquired 23 cents, or 4.7%, to $5.16.
Energy gushed, as well, with Headwater Explorations picking up 34 cents, or 5%, to $7.17 while MEG Energy surged 57 cents, or 3.3%, to $17.74.
Gold skidded by the close, however, as Wesdome slumped 47 cents, or 2.9%, to $15.60, while OceanaGold docked three cents, or 1%, to $2.88.
In real-estate, Granite REIT faded $4.13, or 4.2%, to $93.47, while Boardwalk REIT units tumbled $2.22, or 3.89%, to $56.84.
In materials, K92 Mining sagged 35 cents, or 3.7%, to $8.93, while Teck Resources let go of $1.72, or 3.3%, to $51.13.
Economically speaking, Statistics Canada reported the total value of building permits rose 21.0% to a record $12.4 billion in February, with British Columbia leading the way.
The agency went on to say construction intentions in the residential sector were up 9.8%, while the non-residential sector jumped 43.2%.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange moved forward 7.68 points to 905.10.
Seven of the 12 TSX subgroups were positive by the sound of the closing bell, with information technology flying 3.1%%, health-care progressing 1.7%, and energy rumbling 1.3%/
The five laggards were weighed mostly by gold, down 1.8%, real estate stumbling 1.3%, and materials settling 0.7%.
ON WALLSTREET
The S&P 500 and NASDAQ Composite gained on Monday as traders shook off recession fears and bought technology shares that were beaten up in the first quarter.
The Dow Jones Industrials moved emphatically out of the red to gain 103.81 points, and end Monday at 34,807.33
The S&P 500 was ahead 36.78 points to 4,582.64.
The NASDAQ Composite leaped 271.05 points, or 1.9%, to 14,532.55.
Tech shares, which were among the hardest-hit sectors in the first quarter as investors feared the Fed’s rate-hiking plans could hinder the group, rose on Monday.
Twitter shares gave the NASDAQ a lift after surging more than 27% following news that Elon Musk purchased a 9.2% passive stake in the company.
Tesla’s stock also rose 5.6% on the back of its latest quarterly electric vehicle delivery figures on Saturday, which came in above the year-earlier period.
Technology companies including Apple, Amazon, Alphabet and Nvidia were also up more than 2%. U.S.-listed Chinese tech stocks, including Alibaba and JD.com, also rallied.
Meanwhile, shares of Starbucks dipped 3.7% after the coffee chain suspended its share buyback program.
April is typically one of the best months for stocks, edging higher in the last 20 years by 2.41% on average, MKM Partners’ JC O’Hara wrote in a note. Within 16 of the last 17 Aprils, the S&P has also inched higher.
Treasury prices sagged, with yields leaping to 2.41%, from Friday’s 2.37%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices regained $4.25 to $103.52 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices surged $10.80 to $1,935.70 U.S. an ounce.
