12:18 PM EDT, 06/16/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The Toronto Stock Exchange is up 93 points at midday, boosted by the financials sector, which is up 0.9%.

Limiting gains are declines in energy (-2.1%) pulled down by lower oil prices, and info tech (-1.7%).

National Bank in its latest Monthly Equity Monitor for June, noted Canadian equities continue to outperform the domestic economy. Strength in energy and financials has supported the S&P/TSX, while the resulting wealth effect is helping sustain household consumption and offset some of the drag from Canada's ongoing population decline, the bank said.

The bank is nevertheless redeploying some excess cash toward U.S. equities, while it remains below benchmark overall. "An improving geopolitical backdrop supports a modest increase in risk, though persistent inflation, a potentially less market-friendly Fed, and uncertainty surrounding USMCA negotiations justify maintaining a defensive stance," it said.

Within Canadian equities, National Bank continues to favour energy, materials, and industrials, which are best positioned to benefit from resource development, reindustrialization, and Ottawa's more pragmatic electricity strategy, it added.

In stocks, Groupe Dynamite ( GRGDF ) plunged 32% to a nine-month low with near two-million shares being traded after it reported a first-quarter revenue miss this morning, but adjusted earnings beat expectations. The fashion retailer also tweaked its fiscal 2026 guidance to lower the number of net new stores but raised its adjusted EBITDA margin.