Health-care stocks weighed most heavily on markets in Toronto, keeping something of a clamp on gains Thursday.
The S&P/TSX Composite gained 21.02 points to close Thursday at 14,830.13
The Canadian dollar gained 0.45 cents to 77.03 cents U.S.
Valeant Pharmaceuticals was among the more infamous stocks Thursday, amid reports the drug maker was under federal investigation in the United States. Valeant closed the day down $3.99, or 11.2%, while rival Concordia International was stung $1.04, or 4.7%, to $21.26.
Real-estate issues also fell, as Brookfield Asset Management slipped 33 cents to $45.84, while Whistler Blackcomb Holdings moved backward 30 cents to $36.70.
Gold stocks dulled in price, most notably, Kinross Gold, stumbling 21 cents, or 3%, to $6.85, while Iamgold subsided 15 cents, or 2.2%, to $6.59.
Energy stocks powered ahead, on the strength of EnCana Corp., which barreled ahead 63 cents, or 5.6%, to $11.88, while Baytex Energy leaped 28 cents, or 4.5%, to $6.54.
Consumer staples improved, as Metro gained 10 cents to $47.25, while Alimentation Couche-Tard acquired 91 cents, or 1.5%, to $59.82.
On the economic beat, Statistics Canada reported that the new housing price index rose 0.1% in June, following a 0.7% increase in May.
The agency went on to say that the advance was driven mainly by new housing prices in Toronto and Oshawa and Vancouver, was moderated by decreases in Calgary and Edmonton.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange inched up 2.18 points to 836.65
Seven of the 13 subgroups had turned negative by the close, as health-care darted lower 4.7%, while real-estate sank 1.3%, and gold slid 1%
The half-dozen gainers were led by energy, up 1.3%, consumer discretionaries, up 0.7%, and consumer staples, progressing 0.6%.
ON WALLSTREET
Stocks rose Thursday, with the Dow and the S&P hitting new all-time intraday highs, amid sharp gains in oil prices and strong quarterly results from retailers.
The Dow Jones Industrials rocketed 120.15 points to 18,615.81, with Nike leading advancers and Wal-Mart the only decliner.
The S&P 500 recovered 10.3 points to 2,185.79, with energy leading nine sectors higher and utilities the only laggard.
The NASDAQ Composite gained 23.81 points to 5,228.40, as Apple gained 0.3%.
Macy's reported fiscal-second quarter earnings and revenue that were above estimates, sending the stock surging nearly 18% in afternoon trade. The department store giant also said it intends to close 100 locations.
Kohl's also posted quarterly results that were better than expected, and its stock spiked about 15% in early trade.
U.S. oil settled 4.3% higher on comments from the Saudi oil minister about possible action to stabilize prices and as the International Energy Agency forecast crude markets would tighten in the second half of 2016, a day after falling nearly 2.5% amid an unexpected build in inventories
On the data front, U.S. import prices rose unexpectedly in July, according to U.S. Labor Department data released Thursday morning.
Import prices edged up 0.1% last month after an upwardly revised 0.6% increase in June. Economists had forecast import prices falling 0.3% in July after a previously reported 0.2% advance in June.
Meanwhile, weekly U.S. jobless claims fell slightly to 266,000.
Prices for the 10-year Treasury weakened, raising yields to 1.57% from Wednesday’s 1.51%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices recouped $1.64 a barrel to $43.35 U.S.
Gold prices dropped $7.90 to $1,344 U.S. an ounce.
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