TSX Ends Modestly Higher

(RTTNews) - Despite faltering after a slightly positive start, the Canadian stock market recovered and closed on a firm note on Tuesday after scaling a new high.

Consumer staples shares posted strong gains. Materials and information technology stocks found modest support. Healthcare and consumer discretionary stocks declined sharply early on in the session on profit taking, but regained most of the lost ground as the day progressed.

The benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index ended with a gain of 37.98 points or 0.18% at 21,594.52, a new closing high, after rising to 21,597.12.

Village Farms International Inc (VFF.TO) shares soared nearly 11%. Saputo Inc (SAP.TO) gained about 2.4%, while Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc (ATD.B.TO), Primo Water Corp (PRMW.TO), Weston George (WN.TO), Loblaw (L.TO) and Metro Inc (MRU.TO) gained 1 to 1.8%.

Canadian Tire Corporation (CTC.TO) climbed 8.7%. Dye & Durham (DND.TO) gained 7.5%.

Aritzia Inc (ATZ.TO), Kirkland Lake Gold (KL.TO), Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM.TO), Docebo Inc (DCBO.TO), Descartes Systems Group (DSG.TO) and Franco-Nevada Corp (FNV.TO) gained 1.5 to 4%.

CGI Inc (GIB.A.TO), George Weston (WN.TO), Shopify Inc (SHOP.TO) and Goeasy (GSY.TO) also posted strong gains.

Westport Fuel Systems (WPRT.TO) shares plummeted more than 21%. Cronos Group (CRON.TO) plunged 14.8% and Ballard Power Systems (BLDP.TO) declined 12.6%. Nuvei Corp (NVEI.TO) closed lower by 3.5%.

Tourmaline Oil Corp (TOU.TO), Fairfax Financial Holdings (FFH.TO), Restaurant Brands International (QSR.TO), Lightspeed Pos (LSPD.TO) and Magna International (MG.TO) also declined sharply.