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Techs, Materials Lift TSX to End Sept.

Nike Still in Forefront

Canada's main stock index opened higher on Friday as rising metal prices lifted materials stocks, while softer-than-expected U.

The TSX Composite Index gained 51.39 points to begin the week’s last session at 19,642.13.

The Canadian dollar climbed 0.12 cents at 74.24 cents U.S.

The benchmark index is set to log its first quarterly decline in a year. It is expected to clock its worst month since May as rising yields, sticky inflation, and continued economic uncertainty dampened investor sentiment.

On the economic slate, Statistics Canada reported July GDP numbers were essentially unchanged, as services-producing industries edged up 0.1%, while goods-producing industries contracted 0.3%.


ON BAYSTREET

The TSX Venture Exchange nicked up 1.14 points to 558.04.

All but two of the 12 TSX subgroups were higher, with information technology stocks rising 1.2%, consumer discretionary stocks taking on 1%, while materials were 0.9% stronger.

The two laggards were consumer staples, down 0.6%, and energy, 0.1% less energetic.

ON WALLSTREET

Stocks rose Friday as the latest inflation data gave the market a bump and helped investors make up some ground at the end of a tough month and quarter.

The Dow Jones Industrials gathered 62.88 points to begin the week’s and quarter’s last session at 33,729.22.

The S&P 500 index added 23.39 points to 4,323.09.

The NASDAQ index sprang up 142.52 points, or 1.1%, to 13,343.79.

The Dow is the only of the three major indexes on track for losses this week, down 0.7%. The S&P 500 is slated to add 0.1%, while the NASDAQ Composite should finish 1.1% higher.

The S&P 500 is set to finish the month down 4% and the quarter lower by 2.8%. The NASDAQ Composite is off 5% in September, and down 3.3% for the quarter. Both are on track to post their worst months this year. The Dow is on track for a 2.6% decline this month and a 1.7% fall for the quarter.

Nike shares added nearly 8% after the apparel giant reported fiscal first-quarter earnings that beat analyst expectations.

Friday’s personal consumption expenditures price index reading, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation metric, helped perk up the market.

So-called core PCE, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, rose 0.1% in August and 3.9% year over year. Economists polled by Dow Jones expected that the core PCE would advance 0.2% on a monthly basis and 3.9% year over year.

Prices for the 10-year Treasury climbed, lowering yields to 4.53% from Thursday’s 4.58%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.

Oil prices slid 69 cents to $91.02 U.S. a barrel.

Gold prices eked higher 40 cents to $1,879.