Canada stocks higher at close of trade; S&P/TSX Composite up 0.41%

Investing.com – Canada stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Consumer Discretionary, Healthcare and IT sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Toronto, the S&P/TSX Composite gained 0.41%.

The best performers of the session on the S&P/TSX Composite were Air Canada (TSX:AC), which rose 13.99% or 2.64 points to trade at 21.51 at the close. Meanwhile, MDA Ltd (TSX:MDA) added 10.38% or 2.21 points to end at 23.51 and Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd (TSX:FFH) was up 9.12% or 157.79 points to 1,888.04 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Centerra Gold Inc (TSX:CG), which fell 7.52% or 0.74 points to trade at 9.10 at the close. Energy Fuels Inc. (TSX:EFR) declined 7.49% or 0.63 points to end at 7.78 and Eldorado Gold Corp (TSX:ELD) was down 5.82% or 1.41 points to 22.81.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Toronto Stock Exchange by 485 to 431 and 99 ended unchanged.

Shares in Air Canada (TSX:AC) rose to 52-week highs; rising 13.99% or 2.64 to 21.51. Shares in MDA Ltd (TSX:MDA) rose to all time highs; rising 10.38% or 2.21 to 23.51. Shares in Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd (TSX:FFH) rose to all time highs; gaining 9.12% or 157.79 to 1,888.04.

The S&P/TSX 60 VIX, which measures the implied volatility of S&P/TSX Composite options, was up 2.53% to 12.17 a new 1-month high.

Gold Futures for December delivery was down 0.20% or 5.50 to $2,743.80 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in December rose 0.32% or 0.22 to hit $69.48 a barrel, while the January Brent oil contract rose 0.34% or 0.25 to trade at $73.06 a barrel.

CAD/USD was unchanged 0.17% to 0.72, while CAD/EUR unchanged 0.32% to 0.66.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.36% at 104.25.