Canada stocks higher at close of trade; S&P/TSX Composite up 0.15%

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

At the close in Toronto, the S&P/TSX Composite added 0.15% to hit a new all time high.

The best performers of the session on the S&P/TSX Composite were TransAlta Corp (TSX:TA ), which rose 9.26% or 1.52 points to trade at 17.94 at the close. Meanwhile, Gibson Energy Inc . (TSX:GEI ) added 6.49% or 1.56 points to end at 25.59 and Capital Power Corporation (TSX:CPX ) was up 5.96% or 3.69 points to 65.57 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Toronto Dominion Bank (TSX:TD ), which fell 7.08% or 5.64 points to trade at 74.02 at the close. EQB Inc (TSX:EQB ) declined 4.64% or 5.08 points to end at 104.37 and B2Gold Corp (TSX:BTO ) was down 3.31% or 0.13 points to 3.80.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Toronto Stock Exchange by 462 to 453 and 111 ended unchanged.

Shares in TransAlta Corp (TSX:TA ) rose to 5-year highs; up 9.26% or 1.52 to 17.94. Shares in Gibson Energy Inc. (TSX:GEI ) rose to 52-week highs; up 6.49% or 1.56 to 25.59. Shares in Capital Power Corporation (TSX:CPX ) rose to all time highs; up 5.96% or 3.69 to 65.57.

The S&P/TSX 60 VIX , which measures the implied volatility of S&P/TSX Composite options, was up 3.93% to 9.52.

Gold Futures for February delivery was down 0.81% or 21.76 to $2,654.44 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in January fell 0.03% or 0.02 to hit $68.52 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract fell 0.11% or 0.08 to trade at $72.23 a barrel.

CAD/USD was unchanged 0.37% to 0.71, while CAD/EUR unchanged 0.37% to 0.67.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.55% at 105.71.

Source: Investing.com