TORONTO, Oct 28 (Reuters) - Toronto's main stock index ended slightly lower on Thursday as strength in gold-mining issues was nearly enough to offset broad-based weakness and a drop in Potash Corp shares.
Eight of 10 main groups were lower, but a 1.3 percent rally in materials, home to gold-mining stocks, nearly offset the losses elsewhere, even a 3.8 percent decline by Potash Corp.
Overall, the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index finished down just 3.16 points, or 0.03 percent, at 12,564.09.
The gold subgroup gained 2.6 percent, spurred by firm bullion prices and strong earnings at Barrick Gold on Thursday, as well as Goldcorp and Agnico-Eagle the day before.
Barrick rose 2.41 percent to C$48.07, while Goldcorp jumped 4.59 percent to C$45.31. Agnico-Eagle gained 6.03 percent to C$77.23.
'A weak U.S. dollar brings strong gold, and combined with strong earnings, gold stocks save the day,' Francis Campeau, broker at MF Global Canada, in Montreal.
Potash Corp. posted quarterly results and issued an outlook that far surpassed expectations, but its stock dropped on a report that Ottawa is leaning toward blocking BHP Billiton's $39 billion hostile bid for the fertilizer giant.
(Reporting by Ka Yan Ng; editing by Rob Wilson) Keywords: MARKETS CANADA/STOCKS (kayan.ng@thomsonreuters.com; Reuters Messaging: kayan.ng.reuters.com@reuters.net; 416-941-8109) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
Eight of 10 main groups were lower, but a 1.3 percent rally in materials, home to gold-mining stocks, nearly offset the losses elsewhere, even a 3.8 percent decline by Potash Corp.
Overall, the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index finished down just 3.16 points, or 0.03 percent, at 12,564.09.
The gold subgroup gained 2.6 percent, spurred by firm bullion prices and strong earnings at Barrick Gold on Thursday, as well as Goldcorp and Agnico-Eagle the day before.
Barrick rose 2.41 percent to C$48.07, while Goldcorp jumped 4.59 percent to C$45.31. Agnico-Eagle gained 6.03 percent to C$77.23.
'A weak U.S. dollar brings strong gold, and combined with strong earnings, gold stocks save the day,' Francis Campeau, broker at MF Global Canada, in Montreal.
Potash Corp. posted quarterly results and issued an outlook that far surpassed expectations, but its stock dropped on a report that Ottawa is leaning toward blocking BHP Billiton's $39 billion hostile bid for the fertilizer giant.
(Reporting by Ka Yan Ng; editing by Rob Wilson) Keywords: MARKETS CANADA/STOCKS (kayan.ng@thomsonreuters.com; Reuters Messaging: kayan.ng.reuters.com@reuters.net; 416-941-8109) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.