Yet Another Record for TSX

Markets in Canada’s largest centre were propelled to yet another record high on Friday as investors cheered upbeat economic data from China and optimism over an initial U.S.-China trade deal.

The TSX Composite Index gained 7.56 points to roll into noon hour Friday at 17,187.71

The Canadian dollar gained 0.16 cents to 76.43 cents U.S.

Markets were closed on Wednesday for Christmas and Thursday for Boxing Day.

The index is set for its best year since the global financial crisis, powered by returning confidence in the global economy in the wake of an imminent U.S.-China trade truce and hopes of a smooth Brexit.

Shares of TC Energy Corp also hit an all-time high, jumping 46 cents to $70.30, as private equity firm KKR & Co Inc and Alberta Investment Management Corp would jointly buy a 65% stake in TC Energy's Coastal GasLink Pipeline in Canada.

The largest percentage gainers on the TSX were Osisko Gold Royalties, up 25 cents, or 2%, to $12.79, and Semafo, which rose nine cents, or 3.3%, to $2.79.

On the other hand, Hexo fell 46 cents, or 17.9%, to $2.11, its lowest level in over two years after it announced a $25-million share offer. Cronos
Group, which fell 30 cents, or 3.2%, to $9.06, was the second-biggest decliner on the index.

The most heavily traded shares by volume were Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, which lost 54 cents to $108.18, on nearly two million shares, Aurora Cannabis, down eight cents, or 3.1%, to $2.54, on more than 4.2 million shares, and Pengrowth Energy, unchanged at 5.5 cents, on a volume of just over three million.

ON BAYSTREET

The TSX Venture Exchange added 7.4 points to 563.4

Seven of the 12 subgroups approached noon in negative country, weighed most by health-care, down 2%, communications, sliding 0.3%, and consumer staples off 0.2%.

Five gainers were co-led by energy and information technology, each up 0.8%, while gold climbed 0.5%.

ON WALLSTREET

Read: The Next Billion Dollar Trend In Entertainment

Stocks notched fresh records on Friday as year-end optimism continued to drive the rally.

The Dow Jones Industrials gained 68.98 points to 28,690.37

The S&P 500 gained 4.68 points to 3,244.59, on track for its fifth straight week of gains

The NASDAQ regained 6.36 points to 9,028.75, though gains were weighed by a 1.3% drop in Netflix shares.

Friday marks day three of the so-called Santa Claus rally period, which is historically beneficial for stocks. Since 1950, the S&P 500 has rallied an average of 1.3% during the final five trading days of the year and the first two sessions of the New Year, according to the Stock Trader’s Almanac.

The tech-heavy NASDAQ topped the 9,000 mark for the first time Thursday, lifted by a jump in Amazon shares on a record holiday shopping season. The NASDAQ has been rising for 11 straight days, the longest winning streaking since July 2009.

The S&P 500, up already 29.2% in 2019, is inches away from reaching historic proportions. The benchmark will post its best year since 1997 with an annual gain of more than 29.6%.

Prices for the 10-Year U.S. Treasury gained ground, lowering yields to 1.87% from Thursday’s 1.9%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.

Oil prices lost five cents to $61.63 U.S. a barrel.

Gold prices acquired $3.10 at $1,517.50 U.S. an ounce.