Canada's main stock index was little changed on Friday as a decline in shares of gold miners, which followed the bullion price lower, was offset by strength in the energy sector. Energy shares received a boost from the continuing conflict in Iraq, which fuelled worries about oil supply in the region and helped push up the price of US crude oil.
The energy group has had the biggest influence on the market this year, gaining more than 23 percent. The broader Toronto market is up about 11 percent so far in 2014.
"I think the geopolitical issues that we're seeing right now are going to have some short-term influence on commodity prices, so that could act as a near-term support," said Craig Fehr, Canadian market strategist at Edward Jones in St. Louis, Missouri.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was up 5.52 points, or 0.04 percent, at 15,117.73. Six of the 10 main sectors on the index were in the red.
Financials, the index's most heavily weighted sector, climbed slightly, with Bank of Montreal rising 0.5 percent to C$77.73 and Royal Bank of Canada advancing 0.3 percent to C$75.30.
Shares of energy producers gained 0.3 percent. Suncor Energy Inc was up 0.6 percent at C$46.23, and Canadian Natural Resources Ltd strengthened 0.7 percent to C$48.13.
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