The Toronto stock market remained in positive territory as energy stocks and miners advanced on the strength of higher oil and copper prices.
The S&P/TSX composite index gained 14.80 points to finish the day at 14,957.21
The Canadian dollar inched up 0.20 cents to 79.95 cents U.S.
Mining stocks were still in a rally and industrial shares narrowing their earlier losses.
Rebounding commodities helped the Toronto stock market's benchmark index record a 1.4% gain last week.
The mining sector led the surge, owing to rising gold and copper prices. Barrick Gold took on 25 cents, or 1.8%, to $14.27, while Teck Resources –ballooned 87 cents, or 4.6%, to $19.75.
Among energy concerns, Canadian Natural Resources picked up 14 cents to $37.35, while Imperial Oil hiked $1.34, or 2.8%, to $49.69.
Pacific Rubiales, which rose nine cents, or 2.9%, to $3.23, was the most actively traded stock since midday.
On the opposite side remained industrials and info tech Industrials, the worst performer since morning, shed strength as Canadian Pacific Railway faltered $5.80, or 2.4%, to $231.96.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange eased off 0.08 points to 670.51
All but three of the 14 Toronto subgroups were higher on the day, as metals and mining stocks climbed 3.4%, global base metals were better by 2%, and materials gained 1.3%.
The three laggards were industrials, down 1.2%, information technology, sliding 0.9%, and consumer discretionary stocks, off 0.4%.
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. stocks closed lower on Monday as investors looked ahead to a light week of economic reports amid some consolidation in currency and oil prices.
The Dow Jones Industrials erased 11.61 points to 18,116.04 by the closing bell, following a 168-point gain on Friday,
The S&P 500 dipped 3.68 points to 2,104.42. The NASDAQ index deducted 15.44 points to 5,010.97.
The U.S. dollar fell about 1.5% against major world currencies, as the euro edged higher to trade near $1.09.
Stifel downgraded Biogen to hold, stating that the pharmaceutical company has reached a reasonable price target for the next 12 months.
UBS upgraded Staples to buy, noting a favorable risk and reward proposition. The investment bank thinks the office supplies retailer will "more likely than not" be able to close its acquisition of Office Depot.
Jefferies added Pfizer to its "Franchise Picks" list, noting it expects the firm to show significant appreciation over the next one to two years based on better-than-expected launch of breast cancer drug Ibrance. The investment bank also saw potential for more merger and acquisition activity.
Cliffs Natural Resources announced it will sell Chromite assets in Canada to a local mining company, Noront Resources, for $20 million U.S.
Tenet Healthcare and United Surgical Partners International will combine to create the largest provider of ambulatory surgery in the United States in a cash and debt transaction valued at $1.93 billion U.S.
Economically speaking, existing home sales in February were up 1.2%, to an annual rate of 4.88 million units, slightly below expectations. No other economic data is expected Monday.
In the next few days, inflation data, durable goods and the third read on fourth-quarter GDP round out a relatively light week of reports, with few companies reporting earnings.
Greece debt talks also remained in focus as German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras were set to meet in Berlin.
Prices for 10-year U.S. Treasuries gained back lost ground, lowering yields to 1.91%, from Friday’s 1.93%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices took on 87 cents to $47.44 U.S.
Gold prices inched forward $5.40 to $1,190.00 U.S.
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