stocks in toronto were higher at midday friday on track for the sptsx composite index to post a weekly drop of 2 in the session materials and tech services were the main gainers while only commercial services consumer services and producer manufacturing declined roots corp shares were trending lower after the canadian outdoor lifestyle brand reported lower sales and deeper discounts in the third quarter which affected margin and profit canadas sptsx composite index was 047 higher at 2006393 and the bluechip sptsx 60 was up 044 at 121501 roots corps stock fell 14 to c250 after it said thirdquarter gross margin contracted by 43 percentage points to 565 citing more pronounced discounting in the period compared with this time last year and warned that it expects this to continue to affect sales and margins in the near term earnings fell to 22 million canadian dollars 16 million compared with c108 million in the prioryear period sales declined to c698 million from c763 million laurentian bank of canada shares were 63 higher at c3345 after the canadian bank reported betterthanexpected profit and increased its dividend for the fourth quarter icpei holdings inc shares jumped 83 to c385 after it said it agreed to sell itself to a consortium of investors led by desjardins general insurance group inc at nearly double its recent share price to take the company private