Markets in Toronto rose for a fourth straight session on Friday as a jump in energy shares on a rebound in oil prices offset the drag from a fall in BlackBerry after the struggling smartphone maker reported quarterly results.
The S&P/TSX composite index was positive 85.49 points to greet noon at 14,432.24
The Canadian dollar slid 0.28 cents to 86.10 cents U.S.
Oil companies, such as Cenovus Energy, up 2.6% at $23.35, and Canadian Natural Resources, which rose 0.8% to $35.29, had a positive morning.
BlackBerry shares fell 5.9% to $10.98 after it reported a bigger-than-expected drop in third-quarter revenue, even as it eked out a small adjusted profit.
Consumer staples surged, such as Saputo, up $1.37, or 4.2%, to $34.16.
Industrial stocks took some lumps, as Westshore Terminals dropped 72 cents, or 2.3%, to $30.75.
On the economic sheet, inflation figures proved a mixed bag last month, Statistics Canada reporting that consumer prices rose 2.0% in the 12 months to November, following a 2.4% increase in October. On a monthly basis, CPI declined 0.2% in November, after rising 0.1% in October.
Retail sales were relatively unchanged in October, holding at $42.8 billion. Lower sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers and gasoline stations offset higher sales in most other sub-sectors. Gains were reported in six of 11 sub-sectors, representing 42% of retail trade.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange gained 5.60 points to 671.10
All but three of the 14 Toronto subgroups were higher, most notably energy, up 2.6%, consumer staples, better by 1.6%, and global base metals, improving 1.2%.
The three laggards were industrials, down 1.1%, while utilities and gold each suffered 0.4%.
ON WALLSTREET
Stocks were mixed by noon Friday, though the Dow industrials and S&P 500 were on track for their second best week in nearly two years.
The Dow Jones Industrials faded 22.22 points to pause for lunch at 17,755.93, as Nike led blue-chip losses after the sporting-goods maker's future orders disappointed.
The S&P 500 nicked ahead 2.01 points to 2,063.24, with materials rising the most and utilities the the worst performing among its 10 main sectors.
The NASDAQ index tacked on 4.17 points to 4,752.57
BlackBerry fell after the wireless-device maker posted a larger-than-expected decline in quarterly revenue.
CarMax gained after the used-car seller reported a 16 percent rise in quarter revenue.
Prices for 10-year U.S. Treasuries gained, lowering yields to 2.17% from Thursday’s 2.20%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices gained $1.72 per barrel to $55.83 U.S.
Gold prices hiked two dollars an ounce at $1,196.80 U.S.
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