Canada's main stock index rose on Tuesday, as upbeat quarterly results from WestJet Airlines Ltd and others boosted sentiment.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index gained 41.86 points to greet noon at 15,644.18
The Canadian dollar erased 0.12 cents to 76.11 cents U.S.
WestJet Airlines rose 72 cents, or 3.6%, to $20.92, after reporting a quarterly profit that beat analysts' estimates, as a rise in passenger traffic helped offset an increase in expenses.
Absolute Software Corp climbed 39 cents, or 4.7%, to $8.62, after the company beat quarterly profit estimates and forecast strong full-year revenue.
The largest percentage gainers on the TSX were shares of Canada Goose Holdings, which jumped $1.64, or 2.4%, to $70.91, followed by Alacer Gold Corp, which rose 11 cents, or 3.4%, to $3.21.
Cronos Group Inc fell 55 cents, or 1.8%, to $30.02, the most on the TSX, and the second biggest decliner was Aphria Inc, down 54 cents, or 3.8%, to $13.67. The cannabis firms cooled off after a two-day rally.
On the economic docket, as a partial result of the U.S. government shutdown, Statistics Canada reported Tuesday Tuesday’s release of the December 2018 reference month will be delayed till a later date.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange hesitated 4.5 points to 620.76
All but three of the 12 TSX subgroups remained higher, as consumer staples grew 1.6%, communications and industrials were each stronger by 0.6%.
The three laggards were health-care, slumping 1,1%, gold, off 0.5%, and materials, dipping 0.2%.
ON WALLSTREET
Stocks rose on Tuesday as the corporate earnings season rolled on, with investors eagerly awaiting President Donald Trump's latest State of the Union.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average flew 149.21 points to 25,388.58, led by DowDuPont and Intel.
The S&P 500 stayed afloat 7.81 points to 2,732.79, as the consumer discretionary and tech sectors outperformed.
The NASDAQ Composite jumped 42.01 points to 7,389.55
Alphabet, Seagate Technology and Estee Lauder are among the companies that have reported better-than-expected earnings. However, Alphabet dipped 0.9% as the company also revealed declining advertising prices and rising costs. Seagate shares gained 0.1%.
Estee Lauder, meanwhile, jumped 14.9% on better-than-expected results. The company also raised its 2019 earnings guidance. Archer Daniels Midland fell 5.2% after reporting weaker-than-expected earnings and revenue.
Nearly half of S&P 500 companies have reported earnings so far, with about 70% of those companies topping analyst expectations
Disney, Electronic Arts, Snap and Spirit Airlines are among the companies scheduled to report after the bell Tuesday.
Wall Street also looked ahead to the State of the Union, which comes more than a week after the longest government shutdown in U.S. history came to an end. Investors should be looking for clues on a number of matters, including U.S.-China trade talks
Prices for the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury moved higher, lowering yields to 2.7% from Monday’s 2.72%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices fell 53 cents to $54.03 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices slipped a dollar to $1,318.30 U.S. an ounce.
