Markets in Toronto survived a rollercoaster week with Friday gains, spurred largely by resource issues.
The TSX index gained 142.28 points to greet the closing bell Friday at 33,144.98. On the week, the index gained 104 points, or 0.32%.
The Canadian dollar bolted 0.48 cents at 73.02 cents U.S.
In corporate news, Aris Mining named Neil Woodyer as chief executive officer after markets closed on Thursday, while Capstone Copper's Australia-listed shares dropped 3.4% on Friday after a workers' strike forced a production halt in its mine in Mantoverde, Chile.
Aris shares wound up Friday up 69 cents, or 2.6%, to $27.74, while those for Capstone spiked $1.24 or 8.8%, to $15.37.
Discovery Silver tacked on 71 cents, or 6.5%, to $11.65.
In gold stocks, Aya Gold jumped $1.70, or 6.6%, to $27.10, while Iamgold pushed higher $1.34, or 4.9%, to $28.93.
Energy stocks did well, too, as Vermilion Energy sprang 27 cents, or 2.2%, to $12.74, while Paramount Resources leaped 89 cents, or 3.7%, to $24.87.
Partially offsetting the day's gains, the heavyweight financials sector fell and healthcare shed strength. with drugmaker Bausch Health plummeting 97 cents, or 10.7%, to $8.10 after its brain dysfunction treatment failed late-stage trials.
Sienna Senior Living docked 35 cents, or 1.6%, to $21.35.
In consumer discretionary stocks, Linamar subtracted $1.75, or 2%, to $87.49, while Aritzia shed $2.11, or 1.7%, to $119.42.
In the industrial sector, Badger Daylighting slid $3.07, or 3.7%, to $78.13, while TFI International lost $4.40, or 2.9%, to $149.39.
On the economic beat, Statistics Canada reported retail sales hiked 1.3% to $70.4 billion in November. The nation’s number crunchers added sales were up in eight of nine subsectors, led by increases at food and beverage retailers.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange popped 19.96 points, or 1.8%, to close at 1,154.15, for an improvement on the week of 63 points, or 5.8%.
Eight of the 12 TSX subgroups were positive Friday, led by materials, better by 1.9%, gold, shinier 1.5%, and energy, up 1.1%.
The four laggards were weighed most by health-care, down 2.4%, while consumer discretionary stocks waned 0.7%, while industrials flopped 0.6%.
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. equities were mixed on Friday, as the NASDAQ Composite was poised to extend its latest gains amid easing geopolitical fears while the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average underperformed.
The 30-stock index capsized 285.30 points to 49,098.71
The much-broader index inched forward 2.26 points to 6,915.61.
The NASDAQ raced 65.23 points to 23,501.24.
The 30-stock Dow is lower by 0.5% on the week. The S&P 500 is on track for it second negative week in a row, down 0.3%, while the NASDAQ has climbed 0.1%.
Shares of Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices were among those supporting the two indexes’ advances, climbing more than 1% and more than 2%, respectively.
The moves come as sources told the media that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is planning to visit China in the coming days. Other tech names like Microsoft saw a boost as well.
Intel shares, in contrast, tumbled 17% after the chipmaker reported a disappointing first-quarter outlook.
The three major averages rallied for a second session on Thursday as investors were appeased by news of easing trade tensions and geopolitical risk.
The three major averages rallied for a second session on Thursday as investors were appeased by news of easing trade tensions and geopolitical risk.
The president’s move came after Trump announced that he and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte reached a “framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland.”
Prices for the 10-year Treasury showed more strength, lowering yields to 4.23% from Thursday’s 4.25%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices recovered $1.90 to $61.26 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices leaped $71.40 to $4,984.80.
