By Fergal Smith
(Reuters) -Canada’s main stock index extended its record-setting run on Friday in a broad-based move that included gains for heavily weighted financial shares as investors cheered U.S. bank earnings and the move to lower borrowing costs globally.
The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index ended up 168.91 points, or 0.7%, at 24,471.17 ahead of a long weekend, with the market closed on Monday for the Thanksgiving Day holiday.
For the week, the index was up 1.3%, its fifth straight weekly gain, while it was eclipsing the previous day’s record closing high.
“We’re on a coordinated global easing cycle,” said Mike Archibald, a portfolio manager at AGF Investments. “That is quite bullish for stocks. You are going to get a better flow of liquidity.”
The S&P 500 and the Dow also hit record highs, with the biggest boosts from financial stocks after banks reported strong quarterly results while the latest inflation data…
