Alberta Stock Exchange Investors back Marker

A firmer U.S. dollar and a reduced budget deficit south of the border sparked investor interest in a number of Alberta issues which had been largely ignored in recent weeks.

Sweany Gold, which has received some encouraging results from its Beardmore, Ont., area gold property, was outstanding. Trading a whopping 1,097,400 shares, the issue was down 2 cents to close at 11 cents .

Marker Resources issue also caught the eye. Responding to a surge in investor interest, it was up 90 cents to close at $5.75 on a volume of 285,800 shares traded. Marker is involved in a number of joint ventures in Fox River, Man., and Jackson’s Arm, Nfld.

Recent heavy trading and a 56 cents increase in the Southwind Resource issue prompted market watchers to wonder what the Toronto company was doing to merit such avid attention.

After two weeks of silence, Southwind President Gary Daradich reveals that he has signed a deal with Vancouver-based Severide Resources which allows Severide to earn an interest in Southwind’s Lac Evans, Que. property.

It is located in the Golden Triangle area adjacent to Severide’s Lac Storm property where Noranda recently pulled a spectacular hole assaying 0.78 over 1 1/2 m. The issue dropped 10 cents this week on a volume of 125,000 sharesto close at 45 cents .

American Ore is another issue which has performed well in recent months. However, the stock didn’t respond to assay results from the company’s Iskut property in B.C. Trading on 158,400 shares, the issue was down 2 cents to close at 32 cents . According to the company, the best zone contained 0.116 oz gold per ton over 2 m.

While the Troymin Resouce issue has been much quieter lately, it perked up to post a 23 cents increase on news that Saskatchewan Mining Development Company has successfully completed exploration work on two properties, at Berven Lake, Sask and Severson Lake.

Trading on 354,500 shares, the Troymin issue closed at 68 cents .

Canadian Pioneer Oils has raised $6 million through a public issue to finance exploration and development of its petroleum and natural gas properties and partly reduce bank debt. But the issue remained steady closing down 4 cents at 45 cents on a volume of 9,000 shares traded