Baystreet.ca - Equities in Toronto managed to hang onto moderate gains as morning became afternoon on Wednesday, powered most by health-care stocks.
The TSX Composite Index remained positive 41.46 points, to reach noon EDT Wednesday at 22,659.64.
The Canadian dollar eked ahead 0.06 cents to 73 cents U.S.
In corporate news, bitcoin miner Riot Platforms (NASDAQ:RIOT) said it had increased its stake in Canadian rival Bitfarms to 18.9%.
Bitfarms faded 12 cents, or 3.8%, to $3.04.
Energy and healthcare were the biggest sectoral gainers among Canadian stocks. The healthcare sector rose led by a rise of 12 cents, or 4.7%, in Tilray (TSX:TLRY) Brand shares, to $2.66.
CAE (TSX:CAE) Inc was the biggest gainer on the index, up 86 cents, or 3.7%, to $23.84, after the company's first-quarter revenue beat estimates.
Franco-Nevada Corp (TSX:FNV) lost $13.82, or 8.2%, to $157.45, after the company reported quarterly adjusted earnings of 75 cents per share for the second quarter, below expectations of 82 cents.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange changed direction and poked ahead 0.24 points to 545.90.
Eight of the 12 TSX subgroups were ahead of the game, as health-care triumphed 1.5%, information technology clicked higher 0.9%, and energy improved 0.6%.
The four laggards were weighed most by gold and materials, each down 1.5%, and real-estate, off 0.3%.
ON WALLSTREET
Stocks were flat Wednesday despite the release of more encouraging U.S. inflation data.
The Dow Jones Industrial index gained 210.64 points to break for lunch Wednesday at 39,976.48.
The S&P 500 index picked up 25.37 points to 5,459.73.
The NASDAQ regained 60.13 points to 17,247.74.
All three major averages are now above their Aug. 2 closing level, which was the session before the global market selloff on Aug. 5 that appeared to be related to an unwind of the yen carry trade and concerns about economic growth.
Consumer prices increased 2.9% year over year, down from 3% in June and the lowest reading since 2021, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said on Wednesday. Month over month, prices ticked up 0.2%. Economists polled by Dow Jones expected a 0.2% increase from the prior month and a 3% gain year over year.
Prices for the 10-year Treasury stood still Wednesday, keeping yields at Tuesday’s 3.82%.
Oil prices dipped 45 cents at $77.90 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices doffed $20.00 to $2,505.90.