Barrick rises as it weighs splitting into two entities

Shares of Canadian Barrick Mining ABX.TO rise 1.6% to C$52.82, set to extend gains for a second straight session

The gold miner is considering the possibility of splitting itself into two separate entities, Reuters reports

One entity would be focused on North America, and the other centred on Africa and Asia

RBC Capital Markets sees the split as a positive

Says various scenarios could be pursued, including multiple break-up options with or without additional asset divestitures to realize higher value, adding that Barrick's shares trade at larger discount to its sum-of-parts

Including session's moves, stock has jumped ~137% YTD