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

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

Toronto Stock Exchange (12,379.64 up 58.35 points):

Aurizon Mines Ltd. (TSX:ARZ). Miner. Down three cents, or 0.70 per cent, at $4.23 on 10.5 million shares. The metals and mining sector, which is down more than 20 per cent year to date, was ahead 0.86 per cent Thursday while July copper gained two cents to US$3.10 after having tumbled 11 cents Wednesday. The gold sector was slightly higher while June bullion recovered most of Wednesday’s loss, up $21.40 to US$1,467.60 an ounce.

Bombardier Inc. (TSX:BBD.B). Transportation. Up four cents, or one per cent, at $4.04 on 6.53 million shares.

Manulife Financial Corp. (TSX:MFC). Insurer. Up 57 cents, or 3.86 per cent, at $15.33 on 6.47 million shares. The financial sector rose 0.92 per cent. Canada’s largest life insurer said Thursday its first-quarter profits were cut in less than half compared with a year ago as insurance sales fell 23 per cent with Canada and Japan as weak performers. Insurance sales fell to $619 million in the quarter, hit by tax and product changes in Japan and price increases to protect margins in Canada, chief executive Donald Guloien said Thursday

Suncor Energy Inc. (TSX:SU). Oil and gas. Up 25 cents, or 0.82 per cent, at $30.82 on 4.9 million shares. The energy sector was ahead 0.49 per cent as the June crude contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange rose $2.96 to US$93.99 a barrel.

Talisman Energy Inc. (TSX:TLM). Oil and gas. Down two cents, or 0.17 per cent, at $11.48 on 4.8 million shares.

TORC Oil & Gas Ltd. (TSX:TOG). Up five cents, or 2.99 per cent, at $1.72 on 4.7 million shares.

Toronto Venture Exchange (962.81 up 0.87 of a point):

Intertainment Media Inc. (TSXV:INT). Down half a cent, or 4.17 per cent, at 11.5 cents on 7.4 million shares.

Colorado Resources Ltd. (TSXV:CXO). Oil and gas. Up 20 cents, or 28.99 per cent, at 89 cents on 3.8 million shares.

Companies reporting major news:

Gildan Activewear Inc. (TSX:GIL). Up 41 cents, or one per cent, at $41.46 on 831,681 shares. It reported what it calls “record results” for its fiscal 2013 second quarter and is also upgrading its outlook for the year as a whole. The Montreal-based clothing manufacturer reported Thursday that net earnings were US$72.3 million or 59 cents per share on a diluted basis for the period ended March 31, exceeding its earlier guidance of 54 to 57 cents per share.

Loblaw Companies Ltd. (TSX:L). Grocery retailer. Up $2.01, or 4.49 per cent, at $46.76 traded on 1.8 million shares. The company says it will include the structural integrity of buildings in audits of suppliers in the wake of a building collapse in Bangladesh that housed one of the companies suppliers. More than 400 people died when the illegally constructed, eight-story story building collapsed last week.

Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (TSX:MFI). Food processor. Down 61 cents, or 4.57 per cent, at $12.74 traded on 214,074 shares. It posted a $14.8-million loss in what the company concedes was a “very difficult” first-quarter, but CEO Michael McCain described the problems as both “transitory” and “self-correcting.” “This was a very difficult quarter, with lower earnings in our protein business overshadowing good improvement in our bakery results,” McCain said.

SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. (TSX:SNC). Engineering. Down $1.94, or 4.46 per cent, at $41.51 traded on 1.3 million shares. The company said Thursday it will look at selling its non-core infrastructure assets and reducing its stake in other large investments as part of a new strategic plan. The also plans to use its expertise in the resources sector and make strategic acquisitions to help grow its business as well as focus on growth in the clean power and infrastructure sectors, with an emphasis on expanding its footprint in Canada. It reported a first-quarter profit of $53.6 million or 35 cents per diluted share, down from $66.3 million or 44 cents per diluted share from the same period in 2012.