Canada’s main stock index rallied more than 1 percent on Thursday as energy stocks tracked rebounding crude prices and markets digested this week’s domestic economic data. Gains, however, may be curbed by falling commodity prices.

The S&P/TSX composite rose 51.16 points to close at 13,596.41 as Statistics Canada reported that growth in exports helped shrink the country’s trade deficit in July, indicating the economy is on track for growth in the second half of the year. It weakened more than 1 percent earlier, to touch 13,445.72.

The Canadian dollar was up 0.11 of a cent, rising to 75.46 cents US.

Resources stocks weighed, with Barrick Gold Corp off 3.9 percent to C$8.53 and Canadian Oil Sands declining 4.7 percent to C$6.46.

North American stock markets began Thursday’s trading session on a positive note, but with little movement.

“At the end of the day, when you look at the data release this morning, there isn’t a clear answer and if there’s one thing the market doesn’t like, it’s uncertainty”, said Patrick Blais, senior portfolio manager at Manulife Asset Management.

On the earnings front, Sears Canada shares rose 0.9 percent to C$8.55 after the struggling retailer posted a smaller operating loss and the slowest decline in comparable stores sales in six quarters.