Pot Producers Lift TSX

Equities in Canada rose in morning trade on Monday, boosted by a bounce-back in shares of cannabis producers and sharp gains for gold miners as bullion prices hit a four-month high.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index had improved 49.13 points to greet noon at 16,357.31

The Canadian dollar acquired 0.25 cents to 80.55 cents U.S.

Among the index’s most influential gainers were its biggest gold miners and marijuana producers, with Goldcorp rising 4.5% to $18.70, and Canopy Growth jumping 9.6% to $35.46.

Aurora Cannabis rose 7.6% to $11.10 and Aphria Inc surged 12.1% to $20.20.

Financial companies made headway, including the country’s largest bank, as Royal Bank of Canada gathered 0.5% to $105.68.

On the economic beat, the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) reported national home sales rose 4.5% in December 2017. CREA went on to say actual (not seasonally-adjusted) activity was up 4.1% year-over-year

ON BAYSTREET

The TSX Venture Exchange gained 0.25 points to 890.75

All but three of the 12 TSX subgroups were higher, with health-care galloping 5.2%, while materials and gold each advanced 1.1%.

The three laggards were consumer staples, down 0.5%, consumer discretionary stocks, down 0.4%, and industrials, sliding 0.01%.

ON WALLSTREET

Markets are closed in the United States for Martin Luther King Day.

U.S. Markets Closed