Energy shares lift Toronto index

24 Nov, 2021

TORONTO: Canada’s main stock index rose on Tuesday, snapping its four-day losing streak as energy stocks rose on higher oil prices, while Organigram Holdings’ upbeat earnings further bolstered sentiment.

At 09:34 a.m. ET (14:34 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index was up 31.69 points, or 0.15%, at 21,452.46.

The energy sector jumped 2.4% after a move by the United States and other consumer nations to release tens of millions of barrels of oil from reserves to try to cool the market fell short of expectations.

“Everyone’s been worried for the last few days that Biden and Washington are going to release the SPR (Strategic Petroleum Reserves) and now with that news out and oil in positive, it’s interesting to see how everyone realizes it’s not that big a deal,” said Gregory Taylor, portfolio manager at Purpose Investments.

The benchmark equity index which scaled record highs early this month lost its steam last week, weighed down by weakness in commodity prices and the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Europe threatening to slow down the global economic recovery.

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