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(Reuters)
TORONTO (Reuters) - Toronto's main stock market index jumped at the open on Monday as energy firms were boosted by EnCana Corp's plan to split into two companies, while Research In Motion rose after it launched a high-end version of its handheld device.
Just after the open, the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was up 75.42, or 0.5 percent, at 14,596.61. This follows a loss of more than 80 points on Friday.
Nine of the TSX index's 10 main groups were higher led by a 0.8 percent boost from the influential energy group and a 1.8 percent climb in technology shares.
The energy group, which accounts for about one-third of the overall index's weighting, rose on news that EnCana plans to split into two separate oil and natural gas firms, which shone the spotlight on the influential sector.
Canada's biggest energy company said the move was an effort to wring out more value with crude prices at record highs.
EnCana was up $4.63 at $91.15 and Canadian Natural Resources gained 30 Canadian cents to C$94.45.
Meanwhile, technology shares were led higher by BlackBerry maker RIM after it said it is launching a new high-end version of the BlackBerry aimed at its core base of business users.
A 1 percent dip in the resource-heavy materials group tempered the gains as the price for the precious metal slipped as the U.S. dollar rallied.
Agnico-Eagle Mines was down 91 Canadian cents at $65.83 and Barrick Gold , the world's biggest producer, was off 51 Canadian cents at C$39.00.
Market heavyweight Potash Corp was down $1.46 at $197.04.
(Reporting by Scott Anderson; Editing by Bernadette Baum)
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