Canada's benchmark equity gauge advanced Friday, with the S&P/TSX Composite gaining 0.70% to close at 24,589.34 in Toronto. Advancers led decliners by a margin of 572 to 385, with 78 issues unchanged.
Gains were led by the materials sector, which benefited from a sharp rise in precious metals. Gold futures for December delivery climbed 2.11% to $4,667.85 per troy ounce, while silver prices also moved higher. Energy-linked equities were mixed, with crude oil benchmarks little changed.
Among individual stocks, Denison Mines Corp led advancers with a 10.83% gain to C$4.81, followed by Ero Copper Corp, which added 9.21% to C$54.18 and set a fresh all-time high. Energy Fuels Inc. rose 8.64% to C$20.87.
On the downside, Seabridge Gold Inc. fell 9.76% to C$41.51, while Bausch Health Companies Inc. declined 6.27% to C$8.82. Boyd Group Services Inc. dropped 4.10% to C$121.49, nearing five-year lows.
The S&P/TSX 60 VIX, which tracks implied volatility for the index's largest components, fell 4.03% to 13.56, indicating reduced near-term market uncertainty. The Canadian dollar held steady against the U.S. dollar, with the CAD/USD rate little changed at 0.73.
