CANADA STOCKS-TSX extends monthly winning streak as technology shares climb

By Fergal Smith

TORONTO, Oct 31 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index added to its monthly gain on Friday as technology shares rose and investors looked ahead to a seasonally strong year-end period for the market.

The S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE ended up 81.76 points, or 0.3%, at 30,260.74. For the month, it was up 0.8%, marking the sixth straight monthly advance, the longest such streak since 2021.

"We've had a good month. ... I did expect more volatility in October," said Michael Dehal, a senior portfolio manager at Dehal Investment Partners at Raymond James.

"We are entering a seasonally strong period for the market ... so we could see some readjustments to portfolios today."

November and December have historically been among the best performing months of the year for stocks.

Investors shrugged off disappointing domestic data. GDP contracted 0.3% in August against a consensus estimate of flat growth but an advance estimate suggested the economy might escape a recession in the third quarter.

The technology sector .SPTTTK rose 1.1%, tracking gains for U.S. tech shares.

Energy was up 0.5% as the price of oil CLc1 settled 0.7% higher at $60.98 a barrel.

Heavily weighted financials and consumer discretionary both added 0.6%. Shares of auto parts supplier Magna International Inc MG.TO were up 6% after the company lifted its sales forecast.

The materials group, which includes metal mining shares, was the only one of 10 major sectors to lose ground, falling 0.7%.

The price of gold XAU= was down 0.7%, dipping below the $4,000 an ounce threshold.