By James Langton

(November 24 – 13:15 ET) – The day after Thanksgiving in the United States is traditionally the biggest shopping day of the year, and stocks are no exception. The buyers are out in force today on both sides of the border.

At midday the TSE 300 is up 71 points to 8,995. Volume is soft at 62.6 million shares, but it is certainly positive, with buying outpacing selling three to one. Winners outnumber losers five to four.

The buying is broad-based, with only safety sectors, gold and real estate on the downside. Technology, both hardware and software, and energy stocks are flying off the shelves today.

Nortel Networks is doing its bit, up 1% on strong volume of 3. 3 million shares. Nortel’s former parent BCE is right behind it, up 2% on 2.6 million shares. The hottest stocks are all about tech, with Alcatel, Research in Motion, Janna, Descartes Systems, Sierra Wireless and Exfo Electro all getting some love today.

Old economy winners include Bombardier, Gulf Canada, TransCanada PipeLines and financials such as TD Bank and C.I. Fund Management. Indeed all the banks are up, as are the insurers, led by Manulife, up 90¢ in active trading.

There are losers today, but the volume is light. Those getting dumped on include Thomson, Saputo, Magna, GM, Molson and Veritas Energy.

It’s generally a rather quiet day for news, too. Steel manufacturer Ivaco Inc. has announced a planned buyback for up to 1.8 million of its class A subordinate voting shares over the next 12 months.

In New York the volume isn’t great, but the tone of trading is. Wall Street shrugged off the ongoing election silliness, bearish sentiment, and other negatives in a light-hearted buying spree, although things did weaken toward the close.

U.S. markets closed at 13:00 ET today, with the Dow finishing up 70.9 points to 10,470. Nasdaq finished up 148.6 points to 2,904. The S&P 500 closed up 19.4 points to 1.342.

Techs and financials led the way, with IBM, Intel, HP, Microsoft and J.P. Morgan driving things higher. There’s not much news behind the action, just a rallying mood.

Nasdaq Canada finished its first week with its head slightly above water, it closed at 1,005, up 49.2 points today. Volume was understandably light at 16 million shares, including 6.8 million shares of JDS Uniphase, which finished up 5.7%.

Even the struggling CDNX is up today. At midday it has gained 21 points to 3,025. Volume is strong at 17.2 million shares, thanks to a couple of big traders. Oils are leading the way higher, while techs and mines are in positive territory, too. Nucleus Bioscience has moved more than 2 million shares, up 133% to 35¢. H.A.L. Concepts has moved 1.5 million shares, flat at 20¢ apiece.