CANADA STOCKS-TSX rises to one-week high as Dollarama leads broad-based gains

WisdomTree True Developed International Fund

WisdomTree True Developed International Fund

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TSX ends up 1.5% at 34,671.46

Posts highest closing level since last Thursday

Dollarama jumps 9% after results beat estimates

Materials group adds 4.5% as gold rebounds

Updates at market close

By Fergal Smith

- Canada's main stock index rose to a one-week high on Thursday in a broad-based move that was paced by Dollarama and metal mining shares, as investors weighed a dramatic reversal of U.S. plans for renewed military strikes on Iran.

The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE ended up 520.14 points, or 1.5%, at 34,671.46, marking its highest closing level since posting a record high last Thursday.

  • Wall Street's major indexes also rose, extending gains after U.S. President Donald Trump said he has canceled planned strikes against Iran.

  • Investors have worried that higher energy prices due to the war will lead to central banks tightening monetary policy globally to curb inflation.

  • The European Central Bank raised interest rates for the first time in nearly three years, while the Bank of Canada on Wednesday said it will not let higher energy prices become persistent inflation even as it noted continued uncertainty about U.S. trade policy.

  • The Canadian minister responsible for Canada-United States trade, Dominic LeBlanc, said that there will be bilateral deals with the U.S. along with the review of the trilateral free trade pact.

  • The materials group .GSPTTMT, which includes metal mining shares, climbed 4.5% as the price of gold XAU rebounded from a seven-month low.

  • Shares of Dollarama DOL.TO were up 9% after the low-priced essentials retailer beat quarterly sales and profit estimates, helping to lift the consumer discretionary .GSPTTCD sector by 3.8%.

  • Technology .SPTTTK rose 1.3% and heavily weighted financials .SPTTFS ended 1.1% higher.

  • Just two of 10 major sectors ended lower, including energy. It dipped 0.1% as the price of oil CLc1 settled 2.6% lower at $87.71 a barrel.

  • Apotex Health APTX.TO shares rose 1.9% a day after the Canadian generic drugmaker made its market debut, raising about C$1.3 billion in gross proceeds — the TSX's largest IPO in five years.