NEW YORK, Dec 28 (Reuters) -
* The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX .GSPTSE rose 56.79 points, or 0.40 percent, to 14,222.00 to cap off a weekly gain of more than 2 percent, the best weekly performance since February.
* Leading the index were Maxar Technologies Ltd MAXR.TO , up 15.2 percent, Birchcliff Energy Ltd BIR.TO , up 12.9 percent, and Aphria Inc APHA.TO , which rose 12.6 percent after it said a C$2.8 billion ($2.06 billion) all-stock hostile bid by Green Growth Brands Ltd's GGB.CD "significantly" undervalued the company. Lagging shares were Barrick Gold Corp ABX.TO , down 5.6 percent, First Majestic Silver Corp FR.TO , down 3.0 percent, and First Quantum Minerals Ltd FM.TO , lower by 2.7 percent.
* On the TSX 176 issues rose and 59 fell as a 3-to-1 ratio favored advancers. There were 2 new highs and no new lows, with total volume of 266.4 million shares.
* The most heavily traded shares by volume were Barrick Gold Corp ABX.TO , Aphria Inc APHA.TO and Aurora Cannabis Inc ACB.TO .
* The TSX's energy group .SPTTEN rose 2.02 points, or 1.50 percent, while the financials sector .SPTTFS climbed 1.16 points, or 0.43 percent.
* West Texas Intermediate crude futures CLc1 rose 1.12 percent, or $0.5, to $45.11 a barrel. Brent crude LCOc1 rose 0.13 percent, or $0.07, to $52.23. O/R
* The TSX is off 12.3 percent for the year.