Canadian stock market continued up Thursday

TORONTO, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- Canada's main stock index rose Thursday due to higher health-care and energy stocks while BlackBerry Ltd BB.TO pulled back after a sharp jump.

The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE rose 22.96 points, or 0.14 percent, to close the day at 16,182.63. Five of its 10 main groups rose.

The Canadian dollar rose 0.52 cents to 0.78.48 U.S. dollar.

The energy group climbed 1.4 percent, with Encana Corp up 3.4 percent to 15.98 Canadian dollars and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd CNQ.TO adding 1.2 percent to 44.41 Canadian dollars

Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd jumped 3.6 percent to 2.30 Canadian dollars.

The materials group, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, edged up 0.1 percent.

BlackBerry Ltd BB.TO declined 3.6 percent to 15.03 Canadian dollars a day after surging on the back of its quarterly earnings.

The financials group added 0.2 percent, as bonds yields rose after strong inflation and retail sales data. Toronto-Dominion bank TD.TO rallied 0.5 percent to 72.85 Canadian dollars and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce rose 1 percent to 123.48 Canadian dollars.

Cogeco Communications Inc rose 2.2 percent to 88.97 Canadian dollars and Dream Office Real Estate Investment Trust Du.TO dropped 4.2 percent to 21.55 Canadian dollars after TD Securities upgraded Cogeco and downgraded Dream Office.

Cable and telecom company Quebecor Inc QBRb.TO advanced one percent to 23.72 Canadian dollars.

Paramount Resources Ltd surged 7 percent to 19.37. Enditem