Surging commodity prices and largely stronger-than-expected corporate earnings helped the Canadian stock market start the new month on a bullish note as investors eagerly awaited the Bank of Canada’s upcoming monetary policy event, which is scheduled for March 6. The S&P/TSX Composite Index climbed by 189 points, or 0.9%, on Friday to 21,552 — its highest closing level in over 22 months.
Even as some consumer cyclical stocks witnessed negative movement, solid intraday gains in other market sectors like mining, healthcare, real estate, and energy pushed the TSX benchmark higher.
Top TSX Composite movers and active stocks
Shares of SNC-Lavalin Group (TSX:ATRL) jumped by 11.4% to $51.08 per share, making it the top-performing TSX stock for the day. This rally in ATRL stock came after the Montréal-based professional services and project management firm announced its better-than-expected fourth-quarter results.
In the quarter…


