By Adriano Marchese


Toronto stocks were firmly higher Friday at midday, continuing Thursday's trend ahead of the Christmas Holidays. Most sectors were in the green, led by process industries, materials and transportation. Only consumer discretionary, health tech and communications were dragging in the session.

Markets in Canada will be closed Monday and Tuesday for Christmas Day and Boxing Day and will reopen for trading on Wednesday, Dec. 27.

Canada's S&P/TSX Composite Index was up by 0.72% to 20915.65 and the blue-chip S&P/TSX 60 rose by 0.69 to 1261.33.

Shares of Artis Real Estate Investment Trust were 2.2% higher to 6.44 Canadian dollars ($4.85) after it said that it has agreed to sell a portfolio of eight Canadian retail properties for a total of 222 million Canadian dollars, or $167.1 million.


Other market movers:

Richelieu Hardware shares rose by 1% to C$47.44 after it said it plans to renew its share repurchase program to buy back up to 2.7% of its issued and outstanding common shares over a one-year period.


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


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

12-22-23 1216ET