The Toronto stock market made only small gains on Thursday as political turmoil in Egypt found some direction, but Wall Street was closed for a holiday.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index remained positive 20.98 points to end Thursday at 12,166.66
The Canadian dollar slipped 0.15 cents to 95.04 cents U.S.
On the TSX, the gold sector was lower as Barrick Gold fell 20 cents to $15.31. August gold bullion dropped $2.20 to $1,249.70 U.S. an ounce on the Nymex.
Goldcorp Inc. has pulled its employees out of the Elenore project in the James Bay region of Quebec as a massive forest fire rages on. The company said the fire was about 100 kilometres away and advancing towards the mine site with the prevailing winds. Shares of the company slumped 21 cents to $25.81
Utilities were particularly strong, with ATCO Ltd. up $1.21, or 2.9%, to $42.65. Also charging ahead were metals and mining issues, led by Rio Alto Mining, up six cents, or 3.2%, to $1.96.
Energy stocks rose, even with Encana Corp. dropping 11 cents to $17.74.
WestJet says its passenger traffic increased more than 8% in June, despite some cancellations and weakness in advance bookings following severe floods in southern Alberta. The company's shares were down 11 cents to $22.39.
Egypt will swear in an interim leader after a tumultuous 24 hours during which the army ousted President Mohamed Mursi and vast crowds celebrated in Cairo and Alexandria amid clashes that cost 14 lives.
At home, investors are focusing on what the jobs picture held last month. Economists believe Statistics Canada will say that the economy cranked out only about 5,000 jobs in June, following a surprisingly strong gain of 95,000 in May, with the unemployment rate remaining unchanged at 7.1%
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange gained 4.44 points to 885.62
All but three of the 14 Toronto subgroups were positive at the close. Utilities sailed 1% higher, while metals and mining stocks took on 0.9%, and consumer discretionaries gathered 0.5%.
The three laggards were gold, down 0.6%, real-estate, off 0.4%, information technology, sliding but 0.03%.
ON WALLSTREET
Markets were closed Thursday in observance of Independence Day.
