Canada's main stock index rises on China data, US jobs report

Canada's main stock rose on Monday, as commodity shares gained strength on positive Chinese economic data and strong U.S. employment figures. The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was up 32. 06 points, or 0.24 percent, to 13,312.78 points, with mining and energy shares leading the gains. Data showed that China's exports were up 12.7 percent, topping the forecasts, and the consumer price index unexpectedly fell to 3 percent, down 0.2 percentage point compared with October. Meanwhile, a report released on Friday showed U.S. employers hired more workers than expected in November and the jobless rate reached a five-year low, further boosting investor confidence. The mining sector was up 0.67 percent, while the energy sector rose 0.19 percent. Canadian Natural Resources Limited increased 1. 11 percent to 34.58 Canadian dollars, and Barrick Gold Corporation, the world's largest gold producer, rose 3.85 percent to 17.01 Canadian dollars per share. Financials, accounting for approximately 35 percent of the index, climbed 0.38 percent to 227.98 points. Royal Bank of Canada, the country's biggest bank, jumped 1.01 percent to 69.75 Canadian dollars apiece, and Toronto-Dominion Bank, the second largest, gained 0.91 percent to 96.33 Canadian dollars. The tech and the health care sector led the fall by decreasing 0.76 percent and 0.64 percent respectively. The Canadian dollar inched higher to 94.05 U.S. cents, up 2 cents from Friday.