Canada stocks higher at close of trade; S&P/TSX Composite up 0.40%

Investing.com – Canada stocks were higher after the close on Tuesday, as gains in the Utilities, Healthcare and Consumer Staples sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Toronto, the S&P/TSX Composite added 0.40%.

The best performers of the session on the S&P/TSX Composite were TransAlta Corp (TSX:TA), which rose 7.13% or 1.02 points to trade at 15.33 at the close. Meanwhile, Celestica Inc. (TSX:CLS) added 4.66% or 4.69 points to end at 105.27 and Capstone Mining Corp (TSX:CS) was up 4.61% or 0.45 points to 10.10 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Cargojet Inc (TSX:CJT), which fell 7.33% or 10.17 points to trade at 128.63 at the close. Colliers International Group Inc Bats (TSX:CIGI) declined 3.84% or 8.21 points to end at 205.49 and Toromont Industries Ltd . (TSX:TIH) was down 3.83% or 4.70 points to 118.00.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Toronto Stock Exchange by 486 to 387 and 125 ended unchanged.

Shares in TransAlta Corp (TSX:TA) rose to 5-year highs; rising 7.13% or 1.02 to 15.33. Shares in Celestica Inc. (TSX:CLS) rose to 5-year highs; up 4.66% or 4.69 to 105.27.

The S&P/TSX 60 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/TSX Composite options, was up 1.06% to 12.40 a new 1-month high.

Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.17% or 4.75 to $2,750.95 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in December rose 0.90% or 0.64 to hit $72.11 a barrel, while the January Brent oil contract rose 0.69% or 0.52 to trade at $75.60 a barrel.

CAD/USD was unchanged 0.47% to 0.72, while CAD/EUR unchanged 0.00% to 0.66.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.43% at 103.35.