Equities in Canada’s largest market rose on Tuesday as energy stocks gained broadly, with higher oil prices and as TransCanada Corp got a boost from signs its Keystone XL pipeline could yet move forward.
The S&P/TSX Composite climbed 61.41 points to break for noon at 15,541.54
The Canadian dollar recovered 0.43 cents at 75.96 cents U.S.
TransCanada jumped 1.8% to $63.66, closing in on an all-time high hit dating back to 2014. U.S. President Donald Trump plans to sign executive actions on Tuesday to advance construction of Keystone and the Dakota Access pipelines.
If the pipeline is approved, it could provide a conduit for additional crude production in Canada's oil sands.
Elsewhere in the energy sector, Suncor Energy, Canada's largest oil and gas producer, rose 1% to $41.88. Seven Generations Energy Ltd advanced 5.1% to $26.67 after providing a strategic update.
Among materials stocks, Teck Resources gained 4% to $33.26 and First Quantum Minerals Ltd added 3.5% to $17.38.
Gold miners also gained despite a slip in bullion prices from late 2016 highs, with Barrick Gold up 1.4% to $23.98.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange dropped 0.41 points to 804.67
All but three of the 12 subgroups were higher midday, materials and energy chugging along 1.3% each, while information technology clicked 0.9% higher
The three laggards were health-care and consumer staples, each down 0.4%, and financials, off 0.3%.
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. equities rose on Tuesday as investors pored through the latest batch of corporate earnings, with materials leading.
The Dow Jones Industrials strengthened 55.17 points to 19,855.02, with IBM contributing the most gains. The index has closed lower in six of the past seven sessions.
The S&P 500 grew 7.36 points to 2,272.56, with materials surging 2%
The NASDAQ composite index gained 18.49 points to 5,571.43
Five Dow components posted quarterly results before the bell. DuPont, 3M and Johnson & Johnson outpaced Wall Street earnings per share estimates, but fell short of revenue expectations.
Telecom giant Verizon missed on the bottom line while topping sales estimates, while Travelers beat on both lines.
In economic news, the IHS Markit Manufacturing PMI for January rose to 55.1, from 54.3 in December, lifted by a surge in new orders.
Existing home sales fell 2.8% in December.
Prices for the benchmark 10-year Treasury note dipped, raising yields to 2.44% from Monday’s 2.41%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices recovered 63 cents to $53.38 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices subtracted $3.40 to $1,212.20 U.S. an ounce.
