Most actively traded companies on the TSX, TSX Venture Exchange markets

TORONTO – Some of the most active companies traded Friday on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the TSX Venture Exchange:

Toronto Stock Exchange (13,090.84 up 90.13points):

Baja Mining Corp.(TSX:BAJ). Miner. Down half a cent, or 3.70 per cent, at 13 cents on 5,450,673 shares. The Vancouver-based miner has been active throughout the week, starting with its announcement on Tuesday that a Korean consortium invested US$90 million in Minera y Metalurgica del Boleo. The investment to Baja’s subsidiary made the consortium Boleo’s largest shareholder.

Athabasca Oil Corp. (TSX:ATH). Oil and gas. Up $1.07, or 8.55 per cent, at $13.58 on 4,476,552 shares. The company’s stock closed to a high not seen since November 2011 on news it is in early stages of forming a joint venture for two of its Alberta oilsands properties.

Telus (TSX:T). Wireless telecommunications. Down $1.58, or 2.48 per cent, at $62.07 on 3,772,830 shares. The Vancouver-based company is blocking New York-based hedge fund Mason Capital from holding a meeting of Telus shareholders for the purpose of consolidating the company’s shares. Telus and Mason are in a battle over converting the telecom company’s dual share structure of voting and non-voting shares into one class of common shares.

Royal Bank of Canada (TSX:RY). Bank. Up 21 cents, or 0.38 per cent, at $55.17 on 3,441,929 hares. Canada’s largest bank posted Thursday its highest quarterly profit ever and raised its dividend – for a second time this year – by five per cent.

Yamana Gold Inc. (TSX:YRI). Miner. Up 69 cents, or 4.27 per cent, at $16.86 on 3,358,609 shares. The gold sector was the biggest gainer on the main index, up 10.30 points or 3.39 per cent, to 314.35 points as price of the bullion increased US$1.85 to $96.47 per ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Suncor Energy Inc. (TSX:SU). Oil and gas. Up 11 cents, or 0.36 per cent, at $30.81 on 3,353,880 shares. The energy sector closed up 2.04 points or 0.81 per cent to finish at 252.69 points as the price of crude oil for October deliver jumped US$1.85 to $96.47 per barrel on the Nymex.

TSX Venture Exchange (1,240.86 up 22.89 points):

Zodiac Exploration Inc. (TSXV:ZEX). Oil and gas services. Down half a cent, or 9.09 per cent, at five cents on 3,935,150 shares.

Madalena Ventures Inc. (TSXV:MVN). Oil and gas explorer and developer. Up a penny, or 3.57 per cent, at 29 cents on 3,918,300 shares.

Companies reporting major news:

Laurentian Bank of Canada (TSX:LB). Bank. Up 94 cents, or 2.02 per cent, at $47.45 on 127,410 shares. The Montreal-based bank booked a $30-million net income in the third-quarter, up slightly from $29.1 million in the same year-earlier period. Total revenue was $193.8 million, up from $185.8 million.