The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday edition that with gold at $4,550, up more than 70 per cent from a year ago, the precious metal is leaving its mark on Canada's economy -- pumping up exports and boosting Canadians' stock market returns. The Globe's Jason Kirby writes that gold's eye-popping price gain is boosting local communities around mines and filling government coffers. Gold has become an increasingly influential part of Canada's export picture, accounting for close to 8 per cent of annual exports as of September. In fact, Canada now exports more gold than it does former top exports such as assembled passenger vehicles, forestry products, farm and fish products, and industrial equipment. Of the top-20-performing stocks in the S&P/TSX Composite Index based on year-to-date returns, 18 were precious metals companies. That has benefited Canadian equity investors even if they do not directly own gold stocks themselves, with the S&P/TSX composite soundly trumping its U.S. counterpart, the S&P 500 Index, in 2025. "Even without gold producers, the TSX has held its own against the S&P 500, but gold has definitely been our X-factor," Bank of Montreal chief economist Douglas Porter said.