* TSX ends up 0.5% at 35,505.84
* Materials group adds 3.1% as gold rallies
* Bausch Health ( BHC ) jumps 28.5% after earnings beat
* Industrials lose 2.8%; tech ends 1.4% lower
(Updates at market close)
By Fergal Smith
TORONTO, July 30 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index rose
on Thursday as higher metal prices boosted mining shares,
offsetting declines for technology and industrials.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX Composite index
ended up 172.06 points, or 0.5%, at 35,505.84,
recouping some of Wednesday's decline.
* Wall Street posted sharper gains, with chip stocks soaring
after Microsoft gave a stellar forecast that eased fears about
massive spending on AI infrastructure.
* The materials group, which includes metal
mining shares, rose 3.1%. Gold and copper prices
climbed as traders reduced bets on Federal Reserve interest rate
hikes one day after Chair Kevin Warsh offered little clarity on
policy.
* "We continue to expect the Fed to be patient as it awaits
more inflation data," said Ellen Zentner, chief economic
strategist for Morgan Stanley Wealth Management.
* Heavily weighted financials added 1.2% and
energy ended 1.2% higher. The price of oil
settled 1% lower at $83.59 a barrel as traders digested proposed
plans for a Saudi Arabia-led maritime coalition to boost defense
cooperation around the Red Sea.
* Shares of Bausch Health ( BHC ) jumped 28.5% after the
pharmaceutical company beat second-quarter earnings estimates.
* Industrials were a drag, falling 2.8%. They
included declines for railroad shares, while shares of content
and technology company Thomson Reuters ( TMSOF ) fell 7.3%,
giving back some recent gains.
* Technology was down 1.4%, pressured by a 12.8%
drop in the shares of Lightspeed Commerce ( LSPD ) after the
payments software firm missed first-quarter profit estimates.
* E-commerce company Shopify Inc. fell 5.6%, but data center
developer Keel Infrastructure recouped some recent declines,
jumping 26.7%.
* Bombardier reported a turnaround in
second-quarter free cash flow above analysts' expectations.
Still, its shares ended 7.9% lower as the company delivered
fewer private jets and contended with supply chain challenges.