Canada's main equity gauge closed higher Tuesday as gains across the information technology, materials and industrials sectors pushed the S&P/TSX Composite up 1.63%, finishing the session at a new all-time closing high.
Among individual performers, Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd (TSX:SXGC) led the board, jumping 18.78% or 1.69 points to end the day at 10.69. Aya Gold & Silver Inc (TSX:AYA) climbed 16.85% or 4.64 points to close at 32.18, reaching an all-time high in the process. Trekor Metals Ltd (TSX:TKO) also posted a strong advance, rising 16.38% or 1.55 points to finish at 11.01.
Not all names participated in the rally. 5N Plus Inc. (TSX:VNP) was the largest decliner among major movers, falling 8.56% or 2.79 points to close at 29.79. Vermilion Energy Inc. (TSX:VET) decreased 7.01% or 1.17 points to end the session at 15.51, while Baytex Energy Corp (TSX:BTE) slipped 6.73% or 0.43 points to 5.96.
On breadth, advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a wide margin on the Toronto Stock Exchange, with 635 stocks higher, 359 lower and 57 unchanged.
Volatility measures were mixed: the S&P/TSX 60 VIX, which tracks implied volatility for S&TSX Composite options, rose 0.67% to 15.07.
In commodity markets, December Gold Futures rose 1.02% or 41.92 to $4,132.42 a troy ounce. Energy markets moved in the opposite direction: crude oil for September delivery fell 5.99% or 4.81 to $75.53 a barrel, while the October Brent contract declined 5.66% or 4.74 to trade at $79.03 a barrel.
Currency market moves reported alongside the session show CAD/USD essentially unchanged, moving 0.13% to 0.71, and CAD/EUR also little changed at 0.32% to 0.62. The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.04% at 99.74.
Market context
The broad advance on the TSX was anchored by gains in sectors tied to technology, materials and industrials, with several mining and metals-related equities among the top percentage winners. Energy names featured among the day's weakest performers, which corresponded with the notable drops in crude oil benchmarks.
Investors may interpret the move as a continued appetite for resource and industrial exposure within the Canadian market while energy-related equities reacted to lower oil prices. That said, volatility, as measured by the TSX 60 VIX, ticked higher on the trading day.
Data in this report reflect the close of trading in Toronto on Tuesday and the quoted futures and currency values provided alongside the session results.