Stocks in Canada’s largest market stayed negative midday in morning trade on Monday, as financial stocks and gold miners gained along with bond yields and bullion, while energy names fell as oil prices slipped.
The S&P/TSX Composite tailed off 14.06 points to greet noon hour at 15,462
The Canadian dollar deferred 0.52 cents at 76.29 cents U.S.
Among the most influential gainers were the index's sizable gold mining group, with Barrick Gold rising 1.4% to $25.02 and Agnico Eagle Mines up 1.3% to $64.97.
Gold climbed to its highest in nearly three months as worries about the political landscape in the United States and Europe and a subdued dollar reinforced investor interest in the precious metal.
The heavyweight financials group gained, with Royal Bank of Canada up 0.9% at $95.43.
Canada's financial sector got a boost on Friday from U.S. President Donald Trump's signal that looser banking regulation is coming there. Many companies in the sector are active in the United States
Energy stocks such as Enbridge fell 1.3% to $56.29 and TransCanada lost 0.8% to $61.99, while Canadian Natural Resources declined 0.8% to $39.59.
Pharmaceutical company Prometic Life Sciences advanced 3.8% to $2.18 after it said California Capital Equity LLC had exercised share purchase warrants in the company as it prepares for its first commercial launch in 2017.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange gained 6.16 points to 825.44
Seven of the 12 subgroups moved higher, as gold soared 1.9%, health-care was haler 1.6%, and materials pointed higher 0.9%
The four laggards were weighed mostly by energy, moving south 1.3%, industrials, lower by 0.4%, and information technology, dipping 0.2%. Utilities were unchanged by midday.
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. equities struggled for direction on Monday as worries about the White House's policy agenda lingered, while earnings season continued.
The Dow Jones Industrials dipped 14.8 points to 20,056.66, with Boeing contributing the most gains and Johnson & Johnson the most losses.
The S&P 500 faded 4.28 points to 2,293.14, with energy leading decliners.
The NASDAQ stepped back 2.16 points from Friday’s record high to 5,664.60
On the earnings front, toy maker Hasbro reported better-than-expected earnings and revenue. Companies scheduled to report Monday after the bell include 21st Century Fox, Tesoro and Boardwalk Pipeline.
On Sunday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied the Justice Department's request to reinstate an executive order that barred entry into the U.S. citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries.
Prices for the benchmark 10-year Treasury note gained, lowering yields to 2.43%, from Friday’s 2.48%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices dropped 56 cents to $53.27 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices gained $10.30 to $1,231.10 U.S. an ounce.
