The Canadian markets were stuck in a bit of a trading rut but the more junior exploration stocks continued to inch higher on speculation of upcoming drill results. For the tale of the tape, the TSX Exchange fell a modest 0.01%, while the TSX Gold Index was the big loser by dropping 2.3% and the TSX Venture Exchange, Canada’s largest junior exploration bourse, added 1.07% with the advancers beating out the decliners by a 459 to 393 margin on a robust 252 million shares traded.

Job losses in the United States slowed during the month of May but the overall unemployment rate came in higher at 9.4 per cent. The bulls took the news to mean that the glass is half full, while the bears think the glass is half empty and in the end it was the bulls that prevailed during Friday’s session on the Canadian Markets. For the tale of the tape, the TSX Exchange rallied 0.88%, while the TSX Gold Index was the big loser by falling 3.1% and the TSX Venture Exchange, Canada’s largest junior exploration bourse, added 0.43% with the advancers beating out the decliners by a 451 to 390 margin on a respectable 197 million shares traded.

The Canadian Markets took a bit of a breather during Tuesday trading as investors digest the growing deficit in the United States. For the tale of the tape, the TSX Exchange gave back a modest 0.16%, while the TSX Gold Index surged 4.7% and the TSX Venture Exchange, Canada’s largest junior exploration bourse, added 1.43% with the advancers swamping the decliners by a 462 to 374 margin on 181 million shares traded.

After a late week rally profit taking once again ruled the roost during Monday trading on the Canadian Markets. For the tale of the tape, the TSX Exchange gave back 1.26%, while the TSX Gold Index lost 0.3% and the TSX Venture Exchange, Canada’s largest junior exploration bourse, fell 0.62% with the decliners swamping the advancers by a 477 to 369 margin on 157 million shares traded.

The bulls once again showed their strength during Friday trading on the Canadian markets, with investors laying down bets that the worst of the economic storm has now passed. For the tale of the tape, the TSX Exchange added 1.01%, while the TSX Gold Index lost another 3% and the TSX Venture Exchange, Canada’s largest junior exploration bourse, tacked on 0.72%, with the advancers edging out the decliners by a 390 to 352 margin on volume of 133 million shares traded.

The gold guys continued to be the best performers during Wednesday trading on the Canadian markets as the price of bullion broke out to the upside. For the tale of the tape, the TSX Exchange dropped 0.91%, while the TSX Gold Index surged 7.5% and the TSX Venture Exchange, Canada’s largest junior exploration bourse, added 1.02% with the advancing issuers edging out the decliners by a 405 to 343 margin on 163 million shares traded.

A one day delay in the release of the bank bailout plan for the United States had the bulls and the bears battling to a draw during Monday trading on the Canadian markets. For the taile of the tape, the TSX Exchange added a modest 0.44%, while the TSX Gold Index fell back 4.4% and the TSX Venture Exchange, Canada’s largest junior exploration bourse, lost 0.91% with the declining issuers edging out the advancers by a 350 to 334 margin on 155 million shares traded.