Markets in Canada’s largest centre retreated on Wednesday as weakening crude oil and metal prices weighed on energy and mining stocks.
The S&P/TSX composite index dipped 24.88 points to begin Wednesday at 13,221.07.
The Canadian dollar deducted 0.35 cents to 71.89 cents U.S.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange gained 0.31 points to 518.51
Seven of the 13 TSX subgroups were negative to begin the session, with gold tailing off 1.8%, metals and mining down 1%, and materials sliding 0.7%.
The half-dozen gainers were led by health-care, stronger by 0.6%, information technology, climbing 0.5%, and consumer discretionaries, up 0.3%.
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. stocks traded lower Wednesday, weighed by a decline in oil prices, as investors awaited weekly crude inventories.
The Dow Jones industrial average removed 40.51 points to 17,680.47, with Exxon Mobil leading decliners and Nike the greatest advancer.
The S&P 500 lost 6.61 points to 2,071.75, with energy leading nine sectors lower and utilities the only advancer.
The NASDAQ index deleted 19.95 points to 5,087.99.
As of Tuesday's close, the S&P 500 was up nearly 1% year to date, while the Dow was down 0.6% for the year so far. The NASDAQ was up 7.9% for 2015.
Pending home sales fell 0.9% in November from an upwardly revised October reading, according to the National Association of Realtors.
Weekly crude oil inventories were due at 10:30 a.m.
Prices for the 10-year Treasury fell slightly, lifting yields to 2.31% from Tuesday’s 2.3%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices fell $1.03 a barrel to $36.84 U.S.
Gold prices slipped $8.20 to $1,060.91 U.S. an ounce.
