TSX Ends On Firm Note Again

(RTTNews) - It was a good session for Canadian shares on Monday with investors making positive moves amid optimism about new U.S. coronavirus relief package and encouraging data on China's industrial profits.

Energy stocks were the most impressive gainers. The Capped Energy Index surged up 3.63%. Consumer discretionary and financial shares were among the other prominent gainers.

Several stocks from real estate, utilities and telecom sectors too posted strong gains, while shares from other sectors turned in a mixed performance.

The benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index ended higher by 177.46 points or 1.1% at 16,242.81, off the day's high of 16,286.79.

Enerplus Corp (ERF.TO), Vermilion Energy (VET.TO), Cenovus Energy (CVE.TO) and MEG Energy (MEG.TO) gained 6.4 to 6.8%.

Whitecap Resources (WCP.TO), Crescent Point Energy (CPG.TO), Husky Energy (HSE.TO), Suncor Energy (SU.TO), Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ.TO) and Tourmaline Oil Corp (TOU.TO) also rose sharply.

Consumer discretionary shares Great Canadian Gaming Corp (GC.TO), Martinrea International (MRE.TO), Linamar Corp (LNR.TO), Magna International (MG.TO), Canadian Tire Corporation (CTC.A.TO) and Restaurant Brands International (QSR.TO) ended higher by 2 to 5.4%.

In the financial section, Canadian Western Bank (CWB.TO), Manulife Financial (MFC.TO), Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS.TO), National Bank of Canada (NA.TO), Fairfax Financial Holdings (FFH.TO), Bank of Montreal (BMO.TO) and Laurentian Bank (LB.TO) ended higher by 2 to 3.15%.

Sun Life Financial (SLF.TO), Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD.TO), Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CM.TO) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY.TO) also closed notably higher.

Methanex Corp (MX.TO), Docebo Inc. (DCBO.TO) and Thomson Reuters Corporation (TRI.TO) were among the other notable gainers in the session.

U.S. stocks closed sharply higher, extending the upward move seen in the previous session. A rally in European markets and optimism about a new coronavirus bill after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said a new package is still possible. House Democrats plan to unveil a new $2.4 trillion coronavirus relief bill.

The Dow jumped 1.5%, the Nasdaq spiked 1.9% and the S&P 500 surged up 1.6%.

Stock markets across Europe closed on a high note, while stock markets across the Asia-Pacific region turned in a somewhat mixed performance.

In commodities, West Texas Intermediate Crude oil futures for November ended up $0.35 or about 0.9% at $40.60 a barrel, after hitting a high of $40.79 earlier in the day.

Gold futures for December ended up $16.00 or about 0.9% at $1,882.30 an ounce, rallying from an early low of $1,851.10 an ounce.

Silver futures for December closed higher by $0.511 at $23.604 an ounce, while Copper futures for December settled at $2.9900 per pound, gaining $0.0190.