The S&P/TSX Composite Index climbed roughly 0.3% to above the 26,900 mark on Thursday, marking a fresh record high led by strength in technology and financial names that more than offset weakness among commodity producers. Mega-caps RBC, Shopify, Brookfield, Manulife and Open Text each gained between 0.5% and 1.4%, tracking US peers following firmer US labor market cues, June’s surprisingly robust payrolls print of 147,000 versus expectations of 110,000 underscored the resilience of the American economy. At home, Statistics Canada reported that May merchandise exports rose a modest 1.1% while imports fell 1.6%, narrowing the trade deficit but doing little to counter broader economic lethargy. Meanwhile, negotiations over punitive US tariffs beyond the July?9th deadline remain unresolved despite Vietnam’s 20% deal, maintaining pressure on Canada’s resource exporters.