Canada’s main stock index opened flat on Thursday, hovering around nine-month highs as declines in energy stocks were offset by gains in major metal miners, while a U.S. market holiday kept trading volumes low.
The TSX poked higher 13.68 points to open light trading in Toronto at 17,326.75.
The Canadian dollar eased 0.01 cents to 76.89 cents U.S.
National Bank of Canada raised the target price on BRP to $88.00 from $85.00. BRP shares gained $3.23, or 4.6%, to $73.47.
Scotiabank raised the price target on Rogers Sugar to $5.50 from $5.00. Rogers Sugar sprinted 35 cents, or 6.9%, to $5.43.
In economic circles, Statistics Canada reported In September, the number of employees receiving pay or benefits from their employers rose by 337,500, or 2.2%.
The agency said the followed an increase of roughly 1.8 million payroll jobs from June to August, and brought the total payroll employment change since February to a decline of 1.2 million, or 7.3%.
Oil prices deleted 48 cents to $45.23 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices gained $5.80 to $1,817.00 U.S.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange gained 1.29 points to begin trade Thursday at 747.59.
Eight of the 12 TSX subgroups began the session in positive territory, with health-care haler by 1%, gold brighter 0.6%, and materials stronger by 0.5%.
The four laggards were weighed mostly by consumer discretionary, down 0.2%, while financial and industrial stocks each declined 0.1%.
ON WALLSTREET
Markets in the United States were shuttered for Thanksgiving. They will trade in an abbreviated session on Friday