CANADA STOCKS-Valeant, CIBC help push TSX higher after results

    * TSX rises 35.64 points, or 0.25 percent, to 14,224.22 
    * Six of 10 main index sectors advance 
    * Valeant, CIBC, TD climb after quarterly results 
    * Catamaran Corp tumbles after results, outlook 
 
    By John Tilak 
    TORONTO, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index rose 
on Thursday, lifted by gains in Valeant Pharmaceuticals 
International Inc    and Canadian Imperial Bank of 
Commerce    after the companies reported quarterly results. 
    CIBC shares advanced 1.8 percent after the lender's 
first-quarter profit jumped by 50 percent, driven by stronger 
domestic lending profits and a gain on the sale of half of its 
Aeroplan credit card portfolio to Toronto-Dominion Bank   . 
   
    TD, the country's second-largest lender, reported a 15 
percent rise in first-quarter profit and boosted its dividend by 
9 percent. The stock climbed 0.5 percent.   
    Investors also digested data showing a rise in orders for 
long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods excluding transportation 
last month. Separate figures indicated that the number of 
Americans filing new applications for unemployment benefits 
gained last week.[ID: nL1N0LW132] 
    "The market is looking on the bright side of things," said 
Arthur Salzer, executive director and chief executive officer of 
Northland Wealth Management. 
    "The banks are in a sweet spot where you would want to own 
them. We've been pretty pleased with the sector," he said. "The 
yield curve is a good environment for the banks, and their 
wealth management departments are firing on all cylinders." 
    The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index 
   was up 35.64 points, or 0.25 percent, at 14,224.22. 
    Six of the 10 main sectors on the index were higher. 
    Financials, the index's most heavily weighted sector, added 
0.4 percent, driven by CIBC and TD. 
    Gold-mining shares showed the biggest gain, climbing 1.7 
percent. Goldcorp Inc    advanced 2 percent to C$30.75, and 
Barrick Gold Corp    rose 0.7 percent to C$23.29. 
    In other corporate news, Valeant posted a quarterly profit 
driven by the acquisition of contact lens maker Bausch & Lomb 
Holdings Inc. The stock was up 1.8 percent at C$165.26. 
   
    Catamaran Corp    tumbled 10.3 percent, to C$51.70, 
after the pharmacy benefits manager reported quarterly results 
and gave an outlook for the year.    
 
 (Editing by Stephen Powell) 
 ((john.tilak@thomsonreuters.com)(1-416-687-7918)(Reuters 
Messaging: john.tilak.reuters.com@reuters.net)) 
  
((============================================================== 
FOR CANADIAN MARKETS NEWS, CLICK ON CODES IN BRACKETS:    
TSX market report........................................ .TO   
Canadian dollar and bonds report................... CAD/  CA/   
Reuters global stocks poll (Canada)...    EPOLL/CA   
Top News: Canada .................................... TOP/CAN   
FOR CANADIAN MARKETS DATA.............................   )) 
 
Keywords: MARKETS CANADA/STOCKS