The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday edition that Canada's main stock index ticked higher on the final day of 2024, putting a bow on a year that saw impressive gains for North American markets. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe says that the S&P/TSX Composite Index was up 107.35 points at 24,727.94, led by energy stocks as oil prices rose. Strength in the energy sector more than offset losses in other areas, and helped the oil-and-gas-dominant Toronto Stock Exchange outperform U.S. markets, which all declined Tuesday. The TSX is up 18 per cent for the year. Macan Nia, co-chief investment strategist at Manulife Investment Management, said Tuesday's U.S. losses had more to do with investor profit-taking heading into the new year than any particular news event or negative market sentiment. "Going into the new year we've seen a little bit of a sell-off, very similar to cleaning up your house," he said. "I think investors are cleaning up their portfolios -- loss-selling, things of that nature -- and setting up their portfolios for the beginning of next year." Another theme in 2024 was the resilience of the U.S. economy, which saw solid corporate earnings growth and strong consumer spending throughout the year.