Canada’s main stock index faced a turbulent week, though gains in mining stocks provided some support. Markets were also affected by unexpectedly weak US employment data, which reduced expectations that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates in September.
US equities moved higher after July’s jobs report showed a loss of 23,000 positions, compared with forecasts for an 83,000-job increase. Investors took the report as a signal that the Federal Reserve may keep interest rates on hold. The unemployment rate fell to 4.1 per cent, but the decline was accompanied by a drop in labour force participation to its lowest level in more than five years. Economists had expected the rate to remain unchanged at 4.2 per cent.
| TSX | 36,381.23 | +244.92 |  |
| TSXV | 954.90 | +28.12 | |
| CSE | 161.84 | +4.03 | |
| DJIA | 54,036.93 | +151.83 | |
| NASDAQ | 26,690.62 | +342.26 | |
| S&P 500 | 7,757.64 | +47.68 | |
The Canadian dollar traded for 71.72 cents US compared to 71.34 cents US on Thursday.
US crude futures traded $0.33 lower at US$76.96 a barrel, and the Brent contract lost $0.52 to US$81.97 a barrel.
The price of gold was up US$105.12 to US$4,346.38.
In world markets, the Nikkei was down 76.55 points to ¥65,606.71, the Hang Seng was up 137.75 points to HK$25,668.03, the FTSE was up 40.66 points to ₤10,908.55, and the DAX was up 179.32 points to €26,319.45.