TSX Builds on Gains

Equities in Toronto moved progressively higher Thursday, hovering around nine-month highs as declines in energy stocks were offset by gains in major technology and health-care players, while a U.S. market holiday kept trading volumes low.

The TSX strengthened 38.27 points to close Thursday at 17,351.34.

The Canadian dollar eased 0.10 cents to 76.80 cents U.S.

Resource stocks led the brigade of gaining stocks, with Agnico-Eagle Mines pushing up $1.09, or 1.3%, to $84.00, while Dundee Precious Metals improving a dime, or 1.2%, to $8.21.

Health-care stocks also displayed muscle, with Trillium Therapeutics vaulting $1.28, or 5.7%, to $23.90, while Aurora Cannabis climbed 75 cents, or 3.1%, to $11.64.

In tech stocks, Photon Control beat Wednesday’s finish by 12 cents, or 7.1%, to $1.82, while Lightspeed POS hoisted $2.64, or 4%, to$69.00.

Energy stocks put something of a clamp on today’s gains, though, with Vermilion Energy dropping 11 cents, or 2%, to $5.53, and Crescent Point Energy docking five cents, or 1.9%, to $2.55.

Financial stocks were sub-par, with Brookfield Asset Management falling $1.39, or 2.6%, to $52.67, while Canadian Western Bank slid 18 cents to $30.45.

In industrial stocks, Ballard Power Systems slumped 47 cents, or 1.8%, to $25.85, while CAE Inc. retreated 47 cents, or 1.4%, to $32.56.

In economic circles, Statistics Canada reported In September, the number of employees receiving pay or benefits from their employers rose by 337,500, or 2.2%.

The agency said the followed an increase of roughly 1.8 million payroll jobs from June to August, and brought the total payroll employment change since February to a decline of 1.2 million, or 7.3%.

Oil prices gained 80 cents to $45.71 U.S. a barrel.

Gold prices gained $2.09 to $1,810.33 U.S.

ON BAYSTREET

The TSX Venture Exchange dipped 0.13 points to finish the day at 746.17.

Seven of the 12 TSX subgroups ended Thursday in positive territory, with materials and health-care each better by 1.1%, while information technology vaulted 1%.

The five laggards were weighed most by energy, down 0.4%, financials, sliding 0.4%, and industrials, off 0.2%.

ON WALLSTREET

Markets in the United States were shuttered for Thanksgiving. They will return Friday to trade in an abbreviated session.