Markets in Toronto made slight gains in early trade on Thursday, with the energy and materials sectors rising with oil and metal prices in a shortened session ahead of the Christmas break.
The S&P/TSX composite index gained 24.51 points to open the last session before Christmas at 13,309.42.
The Canadian dollar gained 0.14 cents to 72.32 cents U.S.
Gaming company Amaya Inc has been ordered by a Kentucky court to pay $870 million in penalties to cover alleged losses by the state's residents who played real-money poker on PokerStars' website between 2006 and 2011.
Amaya shares capsized 94 cents, or 5.1%, to $17.54
The recent agreement between Valeant Pharmaceuticals International and Walgreens Boots Alliance may salvage the drug maker's relationships with physicians, but investors say it is unlikely to restore fully Valeant's previous revenue growth from high-priced, branded drugs.
Valeant shares dipped 71 cents to $158.84.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange acquired 1.2 points to 512.63
Nine of the 13 TSX subgroups were higher at the outset, as gold, health-care and consumer staples all shone 0.9% each.
The four laggards were weighed most by metals and mining, down 2.3%, energy, down 1.2%, and utilities, off 0.1%.
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. stocks traded mostly lower Thursday, amid a continued recovery in oil prices, following three solid days of gains.
The Dow Jones industrial average slid 29.83 points to 17,571.78. Exxon Mobil and Chevron both declined more than 1% to weigh on the Dow.
The S&P 500 fell 4.91 points to 2,059.38, with energy leading nine sectors lower and health care the only advancer.
The NASDAQ index eked up 2.37 points to 5,048.31, attempting to hold higher as semiconductor stocks and biotech stocks gained.
The major averages closed higher Wednesday, on track for weekly gains of more than 2.5%
In corporate news, Nike's two-for-one stock split took effect Thursday. .
Thursday is a half day for Christmas Eve. Markets are closed Friday for Christmas Day.
Prices for the 10-year Treasury gained, lowerng yields to 2.25% from Wednesday’s 2.26%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices picked up 52 cents a barrel to $38.02 U.S.
Gold prices progressed $4.45 to $1,074.95 U.S. an ounce.
