Canada Stocks: TSX lifted by energy stocks, COVID-19 vaccine hopes

Chorus Aviation

19/05/2020 15:38

May 19 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index hit a one-week
high on Tuesday after an extended weekend, as rising oil prices
lifted the energy sector, while positive results from an early
stage trial of a COVID-19 vaccine added to optimism.
    * A gradual reopening of select retailers and auto
dealerships in Ontario after two months of lockdown also boosted
investor sentiment, with industry groups bracing for a slow
return to normal business activity.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2CX227  
    * At 9:42 a.m. ET (1342 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's
S&P/TSX composite index  .GSPTSE  was up 248.05 points, or
1.69%, at 14,886.95.
    * The energy sector  .SPTTEN  climbed 6.3% as U.S. crude
 CLc1  prices were up 4.2% a barrel, while Brent crude  LCOc1 
added 0.6%.  O/R 
    * The industrials sector  .GSPTTIN  rose 2.4% with airline
carrier Air Canada  AC.TO  jumping over 10% after the company
said it is seeing an improvement in demand for air travel and
fewer cancellations.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2D1393
    * The materials sector  .GSPTTMT , which includes precious
and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, added 0.1%.
    * On the TSX, 199 issues gained, while 29 issues declined
for a 6.86-to-1 ratio favoring gainers, with 43.22 million
shares traded.
    * The largest percentage gainer on the TSX was Aurora
Cannabis Inc  ACB.TO , which jumped 55.6% adding to the stock's
Friday gains as the pot company posted better-than-expected
quarterly revenue.
    * Chorus Aviation Inc  CHR.TO  followed Aurora, rising 13.8%
after brokerage Scotiabank raised its price target on the stock.
    * Mining company Silvercorp Metals Inc  SVM.TO  fell 4.9%,
the most on the TSX, followed by Shopify Inc  SHOP.TO , which
lost 3.9%.
    * The most heavily traded shares by volume were Zenabis
Global Inc  ZENA.TO , Guyana Goldfields Inc  GUY.TO  and Cenovus
Energy Inc  CVE.TO .
    * The TSX posted nine new 52-week highs and no new low.
    * Across all Canadian issues there were 31 new 52-week highs
and four new lows, with total volume of 85.80 million shares.

 (Reporting by Amal S in Bengaluru;
Editing by Vinay Dwivedi)
 ((Amal.S@thomsonreuters.com; within U.S.+1 646 223 8780;
outside U.S. +91 80 6749 3677;))