Most actively traded companies on the TSX, TSX Venture Exchange markets

TORONTO – Some of the most active companies traded Wednesday on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the TSX Venture Exchange:

Toronto Stock Exchange (12,761.59 up 15.95 points):

TORC Oil and Gas Ltd. (TSX:TOG). Oil and gas. Up 13 cents, or 6.28 per cent, at $2.20 on 15,729,304 shares.

BlackBerry (TSX:BB). Wireless technology. Up four cents, or 0.25 per cent, at $15.98 on 12,991,045 shares. BlackBerry, formerly known as Research In Motion, said the launch of its touchscreen smartphone Tuesday is the “best day ever for the first day of a launch.” However, the once dominant smartphone maker declined to give specific figures.

Suncor Energy (TSX:SU). Oil and gas. Down $1.85, or 5.38 per cent, at $32.53 on 11,017,905 shares. Canada’s largest oil and gas company posted a fourth-quarter net loss of $562 million or 37 cents per share, which included a $1.49 billion charge related to its long-shelved and economically “challenged” Voyageur oilsands upgrader. Suncor’s loss in the recently-ended quarter misses analyst estimates and contrasted year-earlier’s net income of $1.43 billion or 91 cents per share.

EMC Metals Corp. (TSX:EMC). Miner. Up five cents, or 142.86 per cent, at 8.5 cents on 6,958,093 shares. The Reno-based company settled its dispute with Jervois Mining Ltd. over the Nyngan Scandium project in Australia. EMC will pay Jervois $2.6 million Australian dollars and a percentage royalty on sales of product from the project.

Marengo Mining Ltd. (TSX:MRN). Miner. Up two cents, or 13.79 per cent, at 16.5 cents on 3,946,900 shares.

Manulife Financial Corp. (TSX:MFC). Insurer. Down 10 cents, or 0.69 per cent, at $14.41 on 3,715,833 shares. The financial services sector rose 0.41 per cent to 197.34 points.

TSX Venture Exchange (1,211.72 down 3.55 points):

Mena Hydrocarbons Inc. (TSXV:MNH). Oil and gas. Up 1.5 cents, or 75 per cent, at 3.5 cents on 5,681,711 shares.

Border Petroleum Corp. (TSXV:BOR). Oil and gas. Down a penny, or 15.38 per cent, at 5.5 cents on 2,601,167 shares.

Companies reporting major news:

The Cash Store Financial Services Inc. (TSX:CSF). Alternative financial products and services provider. Down 43 cents, or 10.70 per cent, at $3.59 on 24,042 shares. The Edmonton-based company has requested a hearing before Ontario’s Licence Appeal Tribunal over its payday lending licence. After markets closed, Cash Store booked a first-quarter loss of $1.7 million or nine cents per share, contrasting year-earlier profit of $989,000 or six cents per share. Revenue rose eight per cent to $49.5 million.

Intact Financial Corp. (TSX:IFC). Insurer. Down $2.14, or 3.26 per cent, at $63.54 on 596,987 shares. Canada’s largest provider of property and casualty insurance’s fourth-quarter earnings soared to $181 million or $1.32 per share, up 115 per cent in the same prior-year period as the insurer benefited from improved operating results and higher investment gains. Its quarterly dividend will rise by 10 per cent to 44 cents per share.

WestJet Airlines (TSX:WJA). Airline. Down 21 cents, or 0.93 per cent, at $22.34 on 718,955 shares. The Calgary-based company will boost its quarterly dividend 25 per cent after beating expectations by reporting a record-breaking year in 2012, including a huge increase in fourth-quarter profits. The company also said it was renewing its share buyback program.