The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday, July 17, edition that Desjardins Securities commenced coverage on the Canadian oil and gas sector, expecting continued improvement in its valuations over time. The Globe's Darcy Keith writes in the Eye On Equities column that analyst Robert Mann says, "Our constructive view is rooted in the convergence of several supportive trends: world-class resource depth and quality, disciplined corporate behaviour, improving infrastructure availability and a more supportive investment environment." Mr. Mann rates Vermilion Energy "Hold Above-average Risk." He set a share target of $16. Mr. Mann says in a note: "Vermilion provides differentiated exposure to international natural gas markets and meaningful optionality through its German deep-gas exploration program. While we view the company's international portfolio and premium gas pricing exposure favourably, we believe investors will require further operational validation from Germany and greater visibility into long-term value creation before assigning a higher valuation."