By Adriano Marchese

Canadian stocks are slightly higher mid-trading Wednesday, with producer manufacturing stocks posting gains while the commercial services industry drags. Canada's two main freight rail operators released their third-quarter earnings, with Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. reporting a fall in profit in the third quarter despite higher revenue in the period, while Canadian National Railway Co. said its profit increased in the period.

At midday, Canada's S&P/TSX Composite Index were up 0.28% to 21146.36. The blue-chip S&P/TSX 60 was 0.30% higher at 1270.11.

Shares in Canadian National Railway rose 5.8% to C$162.44 after the company said late Tuesday that its profit increased in the third quarter, helped by higher freight rates and a rise in some fuel surcharges.

Canadian Pacific Railway were up 1.3% to C$91.99 after reporting a drop in profit in the third quarter but higher revenue in the period. It added that the company remains confident in delivering double-digit adjusted diluted EPS growth in the year.

Other market movers:

Fintech company Propel Holdings Inc. shares fell 2.2% at C$9.94 at midday in its debut in Toronto after closing a 61 million Canadian dollar IPO, which is roughly US$49.3 million. Shares rose as high as C$10.75 before falling below its offering price of C$9.75.

Write to Adriano Marchese at adriano.marchese@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

10-20-21 1217ET