Strength in financial stocks carried the Toronto Stock Exchange higher on Monday, though trading volume remained lower as stock markets in the U.S. and UK were closed for holidays.

The S&P/TSX composite index gained 76.08 points, or 0.8%, to close at 10,069.50.

The financials group advanced 2.1% on Monday.

Gainers included CIBC, which rose 3.9% to $55.78, and Power Financial Corp., up $1.70, or 6.9%, to $26.40.

Also higher was Manulife Financial Corp., up 2.1% to $22.10 and Bank of Nova Scotia, up 2.3% to $36.79.

Bank of Montreal kicks off bank earnings season tomorrow when it reports is second-quarter results. BMO shares closed up 1.7% at $41.56.

The New York Mercantile Exchange was closed on Monday, but in electronic trading, crude for July delivery slipped US$0.46 to US$61.21 at 4:30 p.m. on Monday afternoon.

Still, energy stocks on the TSX edged up 0.2%.

Nexen Inc. added 1.2% to $24.80 and Husky Energy Inc. rose 1.3% to $32.45.

EnCana Corp. gained $0.48, or 0.8%, to end at $58.49.

Lower for the day was Nuvista Energy Corp., down 2.9% to $10.24.

The materials group slipped 0.3% on Monday, while the sub-gold index dipped 0.5%. In electronic trading, gold for July delivery slipped US$0.30 to US$958.60 at 4:30 p.m. on Monday afternoon.

Shares of Goldcorp Inc. fell 1.3% to $41.44 and Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd. dropped 1% to $64.15.

Franco-Nevada Corp. saw its stock shed $0.89, or 3%, to end at $29.06.

Gainers in the group included Potash Corp., up $1.50, or 1.2%, to $129.30, and Barrick Gold Corp., up 0.3% to $42.79.

The S&P/TSX Venture composite index finished flat on Monday, closing at 1,096.43.

The Canadian dollar slipped a quarter of a cent to close at US89.01¢.

IE