Canadian stocks witnessed heightened volatility to start Tuesday trading as investors remained on edge ahead of the deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump, who warned of expanded strikes on Iran’s infrastructure if no agreement is reached. However, the reports of a two-week ceasefire agreement between the U.S. and Iran helped ease immediate fears of a broader military escalation later in the day. As a result, the S&P/TSX Composite Index climbed by 56 points, or 0.2%, to settle at 33,238 — registering its fifth consecutive winning day.
Even as growth-oriented sectors like technology and consumer cyclicals faced some selling pressure, strength in other key areas such as energy, mining, and utilities helped lift the TSX benchmark.
The easing of geopolitical tensions later in the session contributed to improved investor sentiment. Gains, however, remained modest as markets continued to weigh lingering risks.
Top TSX Composite movers and active stocks
Aris Mining (TSX:ARIS) climbed by over 4% to $27.96 per share, making it one of the top-performing TSX stocks for the day. This rally in ARIS stock came after the Vancouver-headquartered gold miner posted solid first-quarter production and strong revenue growth.
Notably, Aris produced 74.3 thousand ounces of gold in the March 2026 quarter, marking a 6% increase from the previous quarter, while its gold sales rose to 74.8 thousand ounces. Supported by higher realized gold prices of over $4,860 per ounce, its quarterly revenue is expected to exceed $360 million, up 20% sequentially and sharply higher from $154 million a year ago. The rally in ARIS stock clearly reflected investor optimism around the company’s improving production trends and strong revenue momentum in 2026.
Wesdome Gold Mines, International Petroleum, and Kelt Exploration were also among the day’s top gainers on the Toronto Stock Exchange, as they inched up by at least 3.7% each.
On the flip side, Curaleaf, goeasy, Bitfarms, and Sprott fell by at least 3.8% each, making them the session’s worst-performing TSX stocks.
According to the exchange’s daily trade volume data, TD Bank, Telus, Canadian Natural Resources, TC Energy, and B2Gold were the five most active stocks.
TSX today
West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures prices tanked by nearly 15% in early morning trading on Wednesday as news of a temporary ceasefire between the United States and Iran raised hopes of easing supply disruptions. The potential reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route, added to the downward pressure on crude prices. This sharp pullback could weigh on TSX energy stocks at the open today, even as broader market sentiment improves.
However, investors remain cautious as key differences between the two sides are still unresolved. Markets may continue to react to headlines around the durability of the truce and upcoming negotiations.
While no major domestic economic releases are due, Canadian investors may want to keep an eye on the latest Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting minutes from the United States. These updates could provide further clarity on the Fed’s outlook on inflation and interest rates.
On the corporate events side, the TSX-listed North West Company will release its latest quarterly earnings report today. Bay Street analysts expect the company to post earnings of $0.86 per share for the January quarter, with $654.9 million in revenue. Any surprise in its results or forward guidance could influence investor sentiment and drive its stock movement in today’s session.
Market movers on the TSX today
