TSX Ends Higher Again

(RTTNews) - The Canadian stock market ended modestly higher on Tuesday, extending gains to a fourth session, led by gains in healthcare, information technology and utilities shares.

Losses in energy and materials sections weighed on the market and limited its upside.

Investors largely refrained from making significant moves, and looked ahead to the release of the minutes of the Federal Reserve's policy meeting for clues about interest rates and tapering of its QE program.

The benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index ended up by 32.40 points or 0.17% at 19,507.05, after scaling a low of 19,414.11 and a high of 19,556.89 intraday.

Healthcare stocks Aurinia Pharmaceuticals (AUP.TO), Aurora Cannabis (ACB.TO) and Organigram Holdings (OGI.TO) gained 6.3%, 4.8% and 3.8%, respectively. Bausch Health Companies (BHC.TO) climbed 1.76%, Sienna Senior Living (SIA.TO) gained 1.5%, Cronos Group (CRON.TO) gained 1.2% and Canopy Growth Corp (WEED.TO) advanced 1%.

Information technology stocks BlackBerry (BB.TO) and Shopify Inc (SHOP.TO) gained 3.3% and 3.25%, respectively. Sierra Wireless (SW.TO), Absolute Software (ABST.TO), Dye & Durham (DND.TO) and Quarterhill (QTRH.TO) also ended notably higher.

Among the stocks in the utilities section, Boralex (BLX.TO), Innergex Renewable Energy (INE.TO), Northland Power (NPI.TO) and Altagas (ALA.TO) gained 2 to 4%.

Energy stocks Vermilion Energy (VET.TO) and PrarieSky Royalty (PSK.TO) both shed about 2.7%. Imperial Oil (IMO.TO), Whitecap Resources (WCP.TO) and Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ.TO) also closed notably lower.

In the materials section, MAG Silver Corp (MAG.TO), Franco-Nevada Corp (FNV.TO), West Fraser Timber (WFG.TO), Yamana Gold (YRI.TO) and Iamgold (IMG.TO) ended weak.