The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) fell marginally last week, declining 1.41 percent.
New data from Statistics Canada shows the country’s economy added 63,800 jobs in September, considerably higher than the 40,000 added in August and above the 20,000 experts were expecting. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate stayed even at 5.5 percent. The numbers have market participants wondering whether the Bank of Canada may start hiking interest rates again.
Against that backdrop, some resource juniors listed on the TSX saw their share prices go up last week. Here’s a look at the five biggest gainers and the factors that moved their share prices during the period.
1. Condor Energies (TSX:CDR)
Weekly gain: 29 percent; market cap: C$72.87 million; current share price: C$1.29
Condor Energies bills itself as an ‘energy transition developer,’ and is undertaking various activities in Central Asia and Turkey. The company has producing gas assets, and is looking to build and operate Central Asia’s first liquefied natural gas facility; it also has initiatives geared at gas field redevelopment and developing and producing lithium brine.
There was no fresh news from Condor Energies last week, but its share price rose 29 percent to close at C$1.29.
2. New Gold (TSX:NGD)
Weekly gain: 16 percent; market cap: C$992.53 million; current share price: C$1.45
Intermediate gold miner New Gold has honed its efforts on Canada, where it has two core producing assets: the Ontario-based Rainy River gold mine and the New Afton copper-gold mine in BC. It also has Canada-focused investments.
The company shared two pieces of news last week. On Monday (October 2), it achieved two milestones at the C-Zone project at New Afton: the completion of the first draw bell and the commissioning of the last two of 29 dewatering wells at the property’s tailings storage facility. New Gold will now start ramping up production at C-Zone, with commercial production on schedule to begin in the second half of 2024. The company also reported its Q3 operational results, saying it produced 111,204 gold equivalent ounces, up 22 percent year-on-year. It remains on track to meet its 2023 guidance.
The news sent New Gold’s share price up 16 percent to finish the week at C$1.45.
3. TRX Gold (TSX:TNX)
Weekly gain: 14 percent; market cap: C$158.07 million; current share price: C$0.57
TRX Gold’s main asset is its Tanzania-baed Buckreef gold project, which is made up of five prospective areas. The company is expecting to reach commercial production in the second half of its 2024 fiscal year.
Last Monday, TRX Gold announced the arrival of a new ball mill at the project. It has a capacity of 1,000 metric tons per day, and is part of the company’s third mill expansion at Buckreef. On the back of the news, the company’s share price increased 14 percent to close the five day period at C$0.57.
4. Uranium Royalty (TSX:URC)
Weekly gain: 12.27 percent; market cap: C$435.02 million; current share price: C$4.30
Uranium Royalty’s aim is to offer exposure to uranium prices without the risks and operational costs that are associated with uranium exploration, development and mining firms. The company is working to achieve this goal through its portfolio of uranium interests, which includes uranium royalties and streams, as well as debt and equity investments in uranium companies. From time to time, Uranium Royalty also holds physical uranium.
Last week didn’t bring any fresh news from Uranium Royalty, but its share price jumped 12.27 percent to finish at C$4.30. The company may be benefiting from recent strength in the uranium market and prices.
5. Solaris Resources (TSX:SLS)
Weekly gain: 11.41 percent; market cap: C$868.15 million; current share price: C$5.86
Copper- and gold-focused Solaris Resources has exploration assets in the Americas. Its main project is Ecuador-based Warintza, and it sees discovery potential at its Ricardo project in Chile and its Capricho and Paco Orco projects in Peru. The company also has a 60 percent stake in the La Verde joint venture project; a Mexican subsidiary of Teck Resources (TSX:TECK.A,TSX:TECK.B,NYSE:TECK) holds the remaining 40 percent.
Solaris’ share price rose 11.41 percent last week to close at C$5.86, although it didn’t release any news.
FAQs for TSX stocks
How big is the TSX?
The TSX is Canada’s biggest stock exchange, and as of September 8, 2023, it had 1,789 listed stocks for a total market value of more than C$3.79 trillion. The TSX is often ranked as one of the 10 largest stock exchanges in the world.
Why do companies list on the TSX?
Listing on one of the world’s largest stock exchanges provides companies with greater market exposure, the ability to raise capital and an opportunity to build a strong financial reputation. In its technical guide to listing, the TSX states the exchange “offers companies a dynamic market to raise capital, enhanced liquidity, specialized indices, visibility and analyst coverage.’
What sectors are included in the S&P/TSX Composite Index?
The S&P/TSX Composite Index tracks more than 230 constituents across a wide range of sectors, of which the top five by weight are: financials (30 percent), energy (18 percent), industrials (13.5 percent), materials (11.9 percent) and information technology (8 percent).
What was the highest point for the TSX?
The TSX hit a record high of 22,213.07 points in April 2022. While the exchange was at 20,074.65 points as of September 8, 2023, there are high expectations that the TSX could move past the 22,000 level by the end of 2023 to set new record highs.
Data for 5 Top Weekly TSX Performers articles is retrieved each Friday after market close using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies with market capitalizations greater than C$50 million prior to the week’s gains are included. Companies within the non-energy minerals and energy minerals are considered.
Article by Charlotte McLeod; FAQs by Melissa Pistilli.
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Pistilli, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.