Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Tech, industrial stocks help lift S&P/TSX composite, U.S. stock markets up slightly

markets
Share
TORONTO -

Strength in technology and industrial stocks helped Canada's main stock index creep higher on Friday, while U.S. stock markets rose slightly on the final day of trading for the week.

The S&P/TSX composite index was up 62.46 points at 20,693.15.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 22.34 points at 33,808.96. The S&P 500 index was up 3.73 points at 4,133.52, while the Nasdaq composite was up 12.90 points at 12,072.46.

Colin Cieszynski, chief market strategist at SIA Wealth Management, said Canadian stocks benefited from a weaker Canadian dollar on Friday.

"All else being equal, if the Canadian dollar goes down the TSX tends to go up because a lot of stocks are inter-listed in the States," he said.

The Canadian dollar traded for 73.86 cents US, compared with 74.24 cents US on Thursday.

Cieszynski noted that "currency is part of the story, but it's not the whole story." He said materials stocks were down on Friday, likely as a result of commodity prices.

"But if I look at major sectors, overall, the firm majority of them are up," he said. "Most of the market's actually doing pretty good today."

The June crude contract was up 50 cents at US$77.87 per barrel and the June natural gas contract was down two cents at US$2.41 per mmBTU (million British thermal units).

The June gold contract was down US$28.60 at US$1,990.50 an ounce and the May copper contract was down five cents at US$3.98 a pound.

Cieszynski said he's also keeping an eye on U.S. earnings season, which is set to ramp up next week.

"Not too many barn burners, but not too many huge disappointments either," he said.

"The next two, three weeks are the heart of earnings season. We're just going to get a flood of results. So really, that's the big story moving forward for the near term."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2023.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The federal government is providing $1.2 billion to help build a new hospital complex on the James Bay Coast, easing residents’ fears that construction wouldn’t start this year.

A Toronto police officer has been arrested after allegedly stealing three bottles of alcohol from a store.

Police on Vancouver Island have made an arrest in the case of a 78-year-old woman found dead in her home almost two years ago.

opinion

opinion Tips on managing your financial stress

Financial strain can be an uncomfortable burden to bear, especially if you feel that you're doing as much as you can and are barely managing to stay afloat. Personal finance contributor Christopher Liew shares some tips for managing financial stress and digging your way out of debt.

Local Spotlight

Chantal Kreviazuk is set to return to Winnipeg to mark a major milestone in her illustrious musical career.

From the beaches of Cannes to the bustling streets of New York City, a new film by a trio of Manitoba directors has toured the international film festival circuit to much pomp and circumstance.

A husband and wife have been on the road trip of a lifetime and have decided to stop in Saskatchewan for the winter.

The grave of a previously unknown Canadian soldier has been identified as a man from Hayfield, Man. who fought in the First World War.

A group of classic car enthusiasts donated hundreds of blankets to nursing homes in Nova Scotia.

Moving into the second week of October, the eastern half of Canada can expect some brisker fall air to break down from the north

What does New Westminster's təməsew̓txʷ Aquatic and Community Centre have in common with a historic 68,000-seat stadium in Beijing, an NFL stadium and the aquatics venue for the Paris Olympics? They've all been named among the world's most beautiful sports venues for 2024.

The last living member of the legendary Vancouver Asahi baseball team, Kaye Kaminishi, died on Saturday, Sept. 28, surrounded by family. He was 102 years old.

New data from Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley shows a surge in supply and drop in demand in the region's historically hot real estate market.

Stay Connected