Stocks stumbled to the finish in Toronto Friday, as investors took in jobs figures on both sides of the border, and nerves were stretched on possible conflict in the Middle East.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index fell 30.05 points to close the day and the week at 15,667.13
The Canadian dollar eked up 0.07 cents at 74.59 cents U.S.
Energy stocks took some blows, as Cenovus Energy toppled 35 cents, or 2.3%, to $14.74. EnCana Corporation dived 33 cents, or 2.1%, to $15.55.
The materials group, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, slid, as Agrium Inc. lost 21 cents to $125.81, while First Quantum Minerals shed 25 cents, or 1.7%, to $14.31.
Barrick Gold Corp declined 23 cents to $25.64. Barrick's near billion-dollar deal with Shandong Gold Mining Co Ltd represents a rich premium for the miner, while making good on a long-promised plan to forge deep, long-lasting partnerships with China.
Tech stocks dipped, as BlackBerry dropped 17 cents, or 1.6%, to $10.47, while Constellation Software fell $6.04 to $638.96.
Telecoms had a fine day, as BCE Inc. triumphed 63 cents, or 1.1%, to $60.40, and TELUS gathered seven cents to $44.29.
On the utility side, Fortis Inc. picked up eight cents to $44.08.
On the economic slate, Statistics Canada reported that our economy added only 19,000 jobs in March, moving the unemployment rate up 0.1 percentage points to 6.7%, as more people searched for work.
Elsewhere, Western University’s IVEY School of Management revealed its Purchasing Managers’ Index ballooned to 61.1 in March from 55 in February and 50.1 in March 2016.
The survey asks company purchasing managers whether their expenditures grew, fell or stayed the same each month. Any reading over 50 suggests expansion in the market, under 50, contraction.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange added 2.42 points to 824.27
Seven of the 12 TSX subgroups were lower on the day, as energy and materials each skidded 0.6%, while information technology lost 0.5%
The five gainers were led by telecoms, up 0.5%, consumer discretionary stocks, up 0.2%, and utilities, up 0.1%.
ON WALLSTREET
Stocks closed flat Friday as investors digested a mixed employment report, a U.S. airstrike in Syria and comments from a top Federal Reserve official.
The Dow Jones Industrials faded 6.85 points to 20,656.10, with Goldman Sachs and DuPont contributing the most losses.
The S&P 500 slipped 1.95 points to 2,355.54, with consumer staples leading advancers and utilities lagging.
The NASDAQ Composite dipped 1.14 points to 5,877.81
The U.S. economy added 98,000 jobs last month, well below the expected gain of 180,000. The unemployment rate fell to 4.5% from 4.7%. Wage growth was not as strong either, with average hourly earnings up by 2.7% on an annualized basis.
Other data released Friday included wholesale inventories, which rose 0.4%. The Atlanta Fed also slashed its first-quarter Gross Domestic Product forecast to 0.6% from 1.2%, citing weak car sales, among other factors.
Speaking at the Princeton Club of New York, New York Fed President William Dudley said the U.S. should consider small adjustments to the Dodd-Frank law, which toughened oversight for financial institutions.
The missiles targeted the Shayrat air base near Homs, and were in response to a Tuesday chemical weapons attack. Officially announcing the strike, President Donald Trump said the targeted airfield had launched the chemical attack on a rebel-held area, and he called on other nations to oppose Syria's embattled leader.
Prices for the benchmark 10-year Treasury note lost gains, raising yields to 2.38% from Thursday’s 2.34%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices gained 53 cents at $52.23 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices went up $3.50 at $1,256.80 U.S. an ounce.
