TSX Closer: Index Rises as Base Metals, Financial Shares Gain Ahead of Canada Jobs Data

The Toronto Stock Exchange rose on Thursday as strong gains in base metals and financial shares helped lift the benchmark index, while investors assessed the outlook for interest rates and the Canadian economy ahead of Friday's jobs report. The S&P/TSX Composite Index closed up 264.65 points, or 0.76%, to 35,200.45, with sectors closing mixed. Base Metals led gainers, up 3.41%, with Industrials, Information and Technology, and Financial, up 0.06%, 0.49%, and 1.01%, respectively. Battery Metals Index led decliners, down 2.42%, while Health Care, down 0.54%, Utilities, down 0.58%, Energy, down 1.29%, and Telecom, down 0.16%. In commodities, gold traded higher on Thursday as the dollar and yields fell, but remained rangebound as inflation worries again heightened with oil prices rising earlier in the day on renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran. The precious metal for August delivery was last seen up $58.90, or 1.4%, to $4,141.30 per ounce. The price of the metal has hovered above the $4,000 mark for the past two weeks, staying well under its Jan. 29 record high of $5,354.90. Meanwhile, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil closed lower on Thursday even as fresh.