Canada’s main stock index inched upward on Friday, helped by a rebound in oil prices and news that Prime Minister Mark Carney has reached an initial trade agreement with China. Carney announced that both countries will reduce tariffs on electric vehicles and canola, committing to dismantling trade barriers and building new strategic partnerships. China, the world’s largest buyer of canola seed, had suspended Canadian imports last year during a diplomatic standoff—tightening global supplies and halting activity in its canola-crushing sector. Before the dispute, China represented a C$4‑billion market for Canadian canola seed.
Investors wrapped up a turbulent week marked by a flood of developments from Washington, spanning everything from rising geopolitical tensions involving Iran and Greenland to concerns about the Federal Reserve’s independence. The US and Taiwan finalized a trade deal under which Taiwanese chip and tech firms will invest at least US$250 billion in expanding production capacity in the United States. Meanwhile, bank stocks strengthened after Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley reported strong Q4 earnings.
| TSX | 33,040.55 | +11.63 |  |
| TSXV | 1,091.13 | +4.59 | |
| CSE | 187.69 | -0.61 | |
| DJIA | 49,359.33 | -83.11 |  |
| NASDAQ | 23,515.39 | -14.63 | |
| S&P 500 | 6,940.01 | -4.46 | |
The Canadian dollar traded for 71.86 cents US compared to 71.98 cents US on Thursday.
US crude futures traded $0.24 higher at US$59.32 a barrel, and the Brent contract rose $0.34 to US$64.10 a barrel.
The price of gold was down US$22.40 to US$4,596.99.
In world markets, the Nikkei was down 174.33 points to ¥53,936.17, the Hang Seng was down 78.66 points to HK$26,844.96, the FTSE was down 12.74 points to ₤10,226.20, and the DAX was down 55.26 points to €25,297.13.
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