Stocks on Baystreet started quickly up in the morning and spent most of the day in positive territory, but lost strength at the end of the day as the S&P TSX Composite slipped into negative territory.
The S&P TSX Composite Index closed down 8.79 points at 12164.56.
RIM remains in headlines today as shares are trading up $1.24 to $48.94. The company reported that sales last quarter rose 31% to $4.62 billion. Analysts had predicted $4.49 billion. Earnings per share were $1.46 compared with an average estimate of $1.36, excluding some costs.
On the gold front -- Gold stays hot as futures climbed to new heights above $1,280 an ounce on Friday, rallying after having hit a record settlement price in the last session.
Shares in Barrick Gold Corp. remain strong (TSX: ABX) gaining another 53 cents to $47.65.
Kinross Gold Corp is also trading up another 10 cents at $19.16.
Banks struggling -- Friday morning is seeing the financial industry as a laggard.
Royal Bank of Canada (T.RY) was down .66 percent at $53.98, and The Bank of Nova Scotia (T.BNS) fell .08 percent to $53.22.
The Canadian dollar, meanwhile, is down .00581 of a cent to .968045 cents US.
ON BAYSTREET
Eight of the TSX subgroups closed green today. Health Care stocks closed up .72%, metals and mining issues closed up .43% and consumer discretionary stocks gained .37%.
On the downside -- Utilities stocks slid down .76%, while consumer staples stocks were off 0.69% and real estate stocks shed 0.63%.
The TSX Venture Exchange hung on and closed green gaining 11.62 points, at 1661.96, the Nasdaq Canada index closed slightly green; up .02 points higher to 596.28.
ON WALLSTREET
After a see-saw day of trading, the Dow Jone closed in positive territory, held up by strength of Research in Motion and Oracle despite a decrease in consumer sentiment.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended up 13.02 points, or 0.12%, to 10,607.85. The S&P 500 closed up up .93 points, or 0.08%, to 1125.59. Nasdaq closed green as well; up 12.36 points, or 0.54%, to 2315.61.
Research in Motion (RIMM) is doing well in the U.S. as well. Shares are up 2.02% to $47.45.
The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's preliminary September reading on the overall index on consumer sentiment came in at 66.6, down from 68.9 in August.
Also -- consumer prices remained mostly flat in August, according a government report released Friday, continuing the trend of an extremely low and stable inflation rate. The Labor Department said that the Consumer Price Index, which is considered a benchmark measure of inflation, rose 0.3% in August, compared with 0.3% in July, on a seasonally adjusted basis.
Oil pricing are sagging this morning and having an effect on major producers. Shares of Chevron are down .53% to $78.63.
Shares of Total (TOT) are still tumbling down marking the path of energy stocks today in the U.S. Shares of the oil and gas company are down 2.58% to $49.31 in early afternoon trading.
Among stocks in focus -- Industry giant Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has noted that higher gasoline prices have hurt its low-income customers. Shares of Wal-Mart are trading down .28% at $53.00. Other retailers have been hurt today as well. Sears Holdings Corp. is down 1.42% at $67.89 and JCPenney Co. is down .33% at $24.33.
Alkermes (ALKS) shares moved quickly this morning after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended approval of the company's opioid dependence treatment. Shares of ALKS are trading up 4.50% at $14.86
Crucell (CRXL) came storming out of the gates this morning on news of Johnson & Johnson being in advanced discussions to acquire the remainder of the Company for $2.3 billion. Shares of CRXL are up 54.97% to $31.83 on huge volume.
The USD is up .0025 against the euro and trading higher by .092 versus the yen.
Oil futures for October delivery fell $.74 this morning to $74.00 a barrel.
Gold prices climbed $7.70 to $1,27.60 an ounce.
Bonds: The yield on the 10-year bond decreased 0.042 percentage point, to 2.7170 percent.
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