Equities in Canada’s largest market enjoyed their third-straight session of gains on Thursday, helped out by technology and health-care shares, despite low trading volume because of the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday.
The S&P/TSX Composite gained 73.12 points to finish Thursday trading at 21,621.55.
The Canadian dollar regained 0.07 cents at 79.04 cents U.S.
Tech shares led the parade Thursday, with HUT 8 Mining shooting up 96 cents, or 6.1%, to $16.79, while Dye & Durham took on $1.48, or 3.7%, to $42.00.
In the health-care sector, OrganiGram Holdings gained five cents, or 1.8%, to $2.77, while Chartwell Retirement Residences units picked up 16 cents, or 1.4%, to $12.00.
Real-estate concerns also finished in the green, with Real Matters prospering 21 cents, or 2.5%, to $8.55, while CT REIT units gathered 32 cents, or 1.8%, to $17.75.
Gold weighed things down, though, with Iamgold giving back six cents, or 1.5%, to $3.97, and New Gold losing three cents, or 1.6%, to $1.86.
Among other resources, Osisko Mining docked four cents, or 1.3%, to $3.05, while Canfor Corp. slid 39 cents, or 1.3%, to $29.24.
On the macroeconomic front, the United States has decided to almost double the duties on Canadian softwood lumber from most producers to 17.9%, Trade Minister Mary Ng said on Wednesday, adding that Canada is "extremely disappointed."
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday he is "extremely concerned" by increases in the cost of living caused by high inflation, adding that Liberal government policies should help address the issue.
Statistics Canada reported payroll employment, as measured by the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours, rose by 91,100 (or 0.5%) in September.
Oil prices settled 36 cents to $78.03 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices gained four dollars to $1,788.30 U.S. an ounce.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange gained 4.46 points to 974.91.
All but two of the 12 TSX subgroups were in the green, with information technology leaping 1.1%, health-care jumping 0.8%, and real-estate stronger by 0.6%.
The two laggards were gold, down 0.3%, and materials, off 0.1%.
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. markets are closed Thursday on Thanksgiving Day. The stock market closes early at 1 p.m. ET on Friday.
