By Adriano Marchese


Toronto-listed stocks were moderately higher Wednesday at midday as the consumer-durables sector posted strong gains in the session. Other notable rises were in tech and producer manufacturing while health tech, process industries and energy were the outsize laggards.

Canada's S&P/TSX Composite Index was 0.42% higher at 19582.71. The blue-chip S&P/TSX 60 rose by 0.51% to 1176.17.

Shares of Spin Master were 4.8% higher at 35.34 Canadian dollars ($26.02) after the company said it agreed to buy U.S.-based toy maker Melissa & Doug for $950 million in cash. Spin Master expects the deal to introduce complementary capabilities in early childhood toys through Melissa & Doug's offerings of open-ended and developmental wooden toys.


Other market movers:

Shares in CGI were 2.2% higher after the company said it bought Miami-based information-technology and business consulting firm Momentum Consulting, bolstering its position in what it considers a key U.S. growth market.

MTY Food Group shares reversed course to fall 4% to C$54.35 after the company said its newest acquisitions have helped drive better-than-expected profit and revenue in the third quarter. Earlier in the morning, the stock climbed to a high of C$60.10.


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


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

10-11-23 1234ET