Markets soar on stunning jobs report

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A positive trading week ended with markets leaping 3% Friday on shocking jobs data. For once, the shock was positive. In May, 2.5 million American jobs were added instead of the expected 7.5 million drop. Likewise in Canada, nearly 300,000 found jobs last month instead of 500,000 losing work as predicted. Markets consistently rallied throughout Friday and ended with the Dow leaping 3.1%, the S&P up 2.62%, the Nasdaq gaining 2.06% and the TSX climbing 2.1% Canadian stocks enjoyed an added boost on news that OPEC+ has tentatively agreed to extend its historic oil production cuts. WTI leapt almost 5%, but WCS soared 10% on the news. The Dow and S&P closed at their highest levels since Feb.24 as the reopening rally continues and capital rotates from stay-at-home equities (including tech) into once-moribund sectors of financials, industrials and even energy.

In Toronto, the strongest sector was indeed energy, shooting up nearly 8%. Gran Tierra and the aptly named Surge Energy rocketed above 30%. REITs also enjoyed a happy Friday. Cominar and H&R almost closed 10% higher. Even the hard-hit airline industry soared 10% like Chorus Aviation (Air Canada gained 4.48%). On Wall Street, carmakers like Ford rallied 11.72% while cruiselines like Royal Caribbean jumped an astonishing 20%. All week, tech has taken a backseat with more modest gains as investors pile into the “reopening” stocks that were gutted this spring.

For perspective, though, Canadian unemployment still hit a record high of 13.77% in May as millions of Canadians remain out of work. Cautious investors worry that markets are overheated, but optimistic bulls point out that New York, New Jersey and other major centres still need to reopen more which will benefit the economy. That said, this was the most positive week in terms of investor sentiment so far this year.

⚡ Gran Tierra Energy Inc. +30%
⚡ Surge Energy Inc +30%
🏘 Cominar Real Estate Inv Tr +10%
🏠 H&R Real Estate Inv Trust +10%
🛫 Chorus Aviation Inc +10%
🛫 Air Canada +4.48%
🚗 Ford Motor +11.72%
🚢 Royal Caribbean Cruises +20%