Canada's main stock ?index popped on Friday, helped by gains in mining stocks after weaker-than-expected U.S. jobs data lifted gold prices and reduced expectations of a near-term Federal Reserve interest rate hike.
The TSX Composite Index vaulted 308.17 points to end Friday at 35,274.84. On the week, the index has leaped 294.84 points, or 0.84%.
The Canadian dollar eked down 0.06 cents to 70.41 cents U.S.
Among individual stocks, Australian miner BHP Group has agreed to transfer its San Manuel property in Arizona to Faraday Copper in exchange for a 30% stake in the Canadian miner, as Faraday seeks to develop a copper hub around its adjacent Copper Creek project.
Faraday gained seven cents, or 1.1%, to $6.30.
Elsewhere, AtkinsRealis anticipates that Turkey will complete an early review of its CANDU reactors following an information exchange later this summer, which may lead to concrete talks for a nuclear plant bid, a top company official said. Atkins shares leaped $3.12, or 3.6%, to $90.07.
Gold stocks did well, as Southern Cross Gold hiked 86 cents, or 9.6%, to $9.86, Wesdome Gold Mines ?spiked $2.04, or 7.7%, to $28.14.
Elsewhere among miners, Discovery Silver hustled higher 84 cents, or 9.2%, to $9.97, while G Mining Ventures grabbed $2.23, or 5.2%, to $45.33.
In health-care stocks. Extendicare hiked 82 cents, or 2.2%, to $37.36, while Sienna Senior Living shares hiked 51 cents, or 2.2%, to $23.25.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange was up 23.9 points, or 2.6%, to 938.28, for a gain on the week of 42.44 points, or 4.7%.
All 12 subgroups were in the green Friday, headed by materials, charging 2.4%, while gold shone brighter 1.8%, and health-care, haler 1.2%.
Oil prices poked ahead six cents to 68.75 cents U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices jumped $53.50 to $4,179.20 U.S an ounce.
ON WALLSTREET
Equities in the United States were closed due to the 4th of July holiday.
