TSX Extends Gains To Another Session, Ends Modestly Higher

(RTTNews) - The Canadian stock market ended modestly higher on Thursday, thanks to strong gains in healthcare, materials and information technology shares.

The mood was cautious right through the day due to a lack of positive triggers and a holiday in the U.S. for Thanksgiving Day.

The benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index ended with a gain of 38.27 points or 0.22% at 17,351.34, extending its winning streak to a sixth session. The index moved in a very tight band between 17,301.93 and 17,366.62.

Bombardier Inc. (BBD.B.TO) gained nearly 5%. Aphria Inc. (APHA.TO), Aurora Cannabis (ACB.TO) and Hexo Corp (HEXO.TO) gained 3 to 3.5%.

Lightspeed Pos (LSPD.TO) moved up 3.2%. Shopify Inc. (SHOP.TO) and Barrick Gold Corporation (ABX.TO) both gained about 1.5%.

BRP Inc. (DOO.TO) surged up 5.5%. MTY Food Group (MTY.TO), Cargojet (CJT.TO), Wheaton Precious Metals (WPM.TO), Kinaxis Inc. (KXS.TO) and Toromont Industries (TIH.TO) gained 2.3 to 3.6%.

Cenovus Energy (CVE.TO), Colliers International (CIGI.TO), Descartes Systems Group (DSG.TO), Rogers Communications (RCI.A.TO) and Canadian National Railway (CNR.TO) lost 1 to 2.2%.

In economic news, data from Statistics Canada showed average weekly earnings of non-farm payroll employees in Canada were up 6.9% year-on-year at C$ 1,111 in September, following a downwardly revised 7.5% increase in the previous month.