Investors in Toronto overcame unease about the state of interest rates south of the border Wednesday, and put equities into the plus column – barely – mostly on the strength of health-care issues.
The TSX fought its way higher 10.11 points to close Wednesday at 20,561.64.
The Canadian dollar surrendered eight cents to 75.75 cents U.S.
Tilray led health-care stocks higher, improving 39 cents, or 17.7%, to $2.59, while Chartwell Retirement Residences picked up 18 cents, or 1.8%, to $10.24.
In industrials, TFI International climbed $6.94, or 4.3%, to $169.46, while Cargojet took on $2.33, or 2.5%, to $97.45.
In financials, Nuvei Corp. acquired $1.73, or 4.1%, to $44.29, while EQB Inc. gained $1.73, or 2.3%, to $76.30.
In tech stocks, CGI Inc. faltered $6.45, or 4.8%, to $129.00, Converge Technology Solutions dropped a dime, or 3.2%, to $3.06.
In consumer staples, George Weston slipped $4.33, or 2.8%, to $152.31, while Loblaw ditched $2.82, or 2.4%, to $116.68.
Golds also faded, with Osisko Gold Royalties lost 31 cents, or 1.5%, to $19.47, while Barrick Gold sank 34 cents, or 1.5%, to $22.76.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange inched up 5.07 points to end the session at 620.25.
The 12 TSX subgroups were evenly divided on the day, with health-care popping 4.2%, industrials climbing 0.6%, and financials up 0.5%.
The half-dozen laggards were weighed most by information technology, down 1.9%, consumer staples, slipping 1%, and gold, off 0.8%.
ON WALLSTREET
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose Wednesday, notching its best winning streak since 1987 as traders digested a Federal Reserve rate hike and major corporate earnings.
The 30-stock index leaped 82.05 points to close Wednesday at 35,520.12, its 13th straight upward session.
The longest winning streak ever for the Dow was in June 1897, when the index rose for 14 consecutive sessions. That was roughly one year after the Dow was incepted in May 1896.
The S&P 500 Index subtracted 0.71 points to 4,566.75.
The NASDAQ index slid 17.27 points to 14,127.28.
The Federal Reserve raised rates to their highest level in more than 22 years after passing through a much-anticipated quarter point hike at the conclusion of its meeting. However, Treasury yields slid after Fed Chief Jerome Powell suggested the central bank could pause again here.
The Fed next decides on rates on Sept. 20. Bank shares including Wells Fargo gained after the comments as traders bet that the economy could skirt a recession if the Fed stays on hold.
On the bullish side, Google-parent Alphabet rose about 5.8% as cloud revenue growth helped propel the company to a better-than-expected quarter. Also, Dow component Boeing gained 8.7% after reporting a second-quarter beat following a rise in commercial aircraft deliveries.
However, not all earnings news was positive as Microsoft slid 3.7% after reporting slowing cloud revenue growth.
Prices for the 10-year Treasury gained slightly, lowering yields to 3.87% from Tuesday’s 3.88%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices dipped 70 cents to $78.93 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices brightened $11.60 to $1,975.30 U.S. an ounce.