Canadian Shares Extend Winning Streak

(RTTNews) - Canadian stocks finished moderately higher once again on Wednesday, extending the upward move seen over the past few days.

The benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index gained 93.80 points or 0.59 percent to finish at 16,031.24 after trading between 15,942.87 and 16,036.86 - its best intraday level in over four months.

Commodity stocks are fueling the gains - particularly gold and crude oil.

Spot gold climbed $3.85 or 0.29 percent at $1,345.60 per ounce after hitting of $1,339.33 an ounce in the previous session.

Brent crude soared 63 cents or 0.95 percent to a fresh 2019 high of $67.08 dollars per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil surged 77 cents or 1.36 percent to $57.22 - also high for this year.

Information technology and financial stocks also saw strength on the day, while notable weakness was visible among healthcare stocks.

Meanwhile, stocks on Wall Street finished slightly higher, although buying interest was subdued amid uncertainty about U.S.-China trade talks.

Officials from the U.S. and China are meeting in Washington this week as the world's two largest economies attempt to reach a long-term trade deal.

The U.S. and China currently face an early March deadline to strike an agreement, although President Donald Trump has suggested the deadline could be postponed.