In midday trading, the benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index was 0.3% higher, at 20942.96, which has it headed for a dip of less than 0.1% for the week. The latest labor force survey showed employment in Canada was effectively flat last month despite continued strong population growth, though the jobless rate held steady at 5.8% and average wage-growth accelerated on last year. In the U.S., employers hired at a solid pace in December, with the economy adding 216,000 jobs and unemployment steady at 3.7%. Energy shares also notched gains Friday with a rise in oil futures amid heightened tension in the Middle East. Write to Robb M. Stewart at robb.stewart@wsj.com(END) Dow Jones NewswiresJanuary 05, 2024 12:22 ET (17:22 GMT)Copyright (c) 2024 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

Source: Wall Street Journal January 05, 2024 19:14 UTC