(Updates at market close)
* TSX ends up 1% at 36,146.42
* Shopify ( SHOP ) shares jump 16.5% to highest since January 19
* Materials group adds 5.6% as gold climbs
* Energy falls 3% as oil settles 0.7% lower
By Sudeshna Ghoshal and Fergal Smith
TORONTO, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index notched
another record high on Wednesday, led by sharp gains for metal
mining shares as well as for the shares of Shopify ( SHOP )
after the e-commerce company delivered a strong outlook and
market-beating quarterly results.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX Composite index
ended up 344.83 points, or 1%, at 36,146.42,
surpassing Tuesday's record closing high.
* "Shopify ( SHOP ) is obviously a bellwether for tech in Canada,"
said Allan Small, senior investment adviser of the Allan Small
Financial Group with iA Private Wealth. "When these companies
report good earnings ... it adds to this idea that tech
companies are still doing well, that the AI spend is not
stopping."
* Shopify ( SHOP ) shares jumped 16.5% to the highest level since
January 19. The company issued a rosy third-quarter forecast as
its AI efforts draw more merchants to a suite of e-commerce
services, assuaging fears over growing competition.
* The broader technology index advanced 2.5%,
while the materials group added 5.6%, marking its
second straight day of sharp gains. The price of gold was
up 4.2% to trade at its highest level in nearly seven weeks.
* Consumer discretionary rose 1.3% and heavily
weighted financials ended 0.4% higher.
* iA Financial ( IAFNF ) shares gained 2.8% after the
provider of insurance products and wealth management services
topped quarterly core earnings estimates.
* Four of the 10 major sectors ended lower, including energy
, which fell 3%. The price of oil settled 0.7%
lower at $75.22 a barrel on revived expectations of a
de-escalation in Iran war hostilities that could restore
shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
* Suncor Energy ( SU ) beat second-quarter adjusted profit
estimates as higher crude price realizations and stronger
refining margins offset weaker upstream production. Still, its
shares ended 2.9% lower.
* Thomson Reuters ( TMSOF ) lifted its full-year revenue
forecast, with CEO Steve Hasker saying that the company's focus
was on investing and developing AI across its portfolio. Its
shares were down 10.2%, pulling back from an earlier six-month
high.