Investors seem to be keeping their money at home this summer, given how the markets have performed in Toronto and New York.
In New York, the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 reached new trading highs on more than one occasion in the past few days alone. This was driven by strong performances in the technology and consumer sectors. Meanwhile, the TSX experienced a volatile start, with gains and losses fluctuating in the early part of the week. However, a solid rally midweek boosted investor confidence, leading to notable market gains.
A positive turnaround
Aviation stock Bombardier Inc. (TSX:BBD, Forum) put to rest an ongoing dispute that had made headlines this week regarding labour relations at its Aircraft Assembly Centre in Ontario.
Members of Unifor’s Locals 112 and 673, representing production, skilled trades and office workers, successfully negotiated a new three-year agreement, ending an 18-day strike at Bombardier’s facilities in Mississauga and Waterloo.
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Lana Payne, Unifor’s national president, emphasized the union’s achievement in securing a substantial economic package and work commitments for its members. The new agreement includes a 12.5 per cent wage increase over three years and provisions for job ownership across Bombardier’s global fleet.
Unifor Local 112 represents about 1,200 production and skilled trades members at Bombardier while Local 673 represents 250 office, professional and technical workers.
Bombardier stock is up 4.32 per cent in the past month.
A landmark health care project with AI
WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX:WELL, Forum) celebrated a significant milestone this week.
The Vancouver-based digital healthcare company announced that a groundbreaking C$44 million project, Health Compass II, has been given the green light.
The project received C$15.3 million in funding from DIGITAL, Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster for digital technologies to advance AI and interoperability.
Health Compass II, in collaboration with partners such as HEALWELL AI, ORX, Tali AI, Phelix, and Simon Fraser University, will introduce four AI-driven modules designed to streamline healthcare processes and enhance clinical decision-making. The modules include Decision Compass for clinical support, Patient Compass for patient engagement, SMART Inbox for administrative automation, and Voice Assistant for capturing medical information during patient interactions.
This initiative is expected to significantly reduce healthcare delivery costs and improve patient satisfaction.
WELL Health Technologies Corp. stock is up 20.65 per cent in the past month.
Environmental concerns
On a less positive note, Victoria Gold Corp. (TSX:VGCX, Forum) faced negative press after a cyanide detection near its Eagle Gold Mine in Yukon Territory.
The issue arose after a landslide and heap leach pad failure on June 24. Yukon’s energy and mines minister, John Streicker, reported cyanide levels of 8.58 mg per litre in samples from the site, far exceeding the permissible limit.
Victoria Gold had taken measures to contain and treat the contaminated water, but the incident has drawn criticism and concern from local authorities and communities. The First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun has called for an immediate halt to mining activities until stricter environmental oversight is in place. This situation has raised significant environmental and operational risks for the company, negatively impacting investor sentiment.
Victoria Gold Corp. stock is down 90.78 per cent in the past month.
Food for thought
As the trading week comes to an end, it’s clear that staying informed about market developments is crucial for investors. Bombardier and WELL Health Technologies have shown promising advancements, while Victoria Gold faces environmental challenges that may affect its future performance. Investors should continue to monitor these companies and broader market trends to keep their portfolios resilient and informed.
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(Top photo: Bombardier)