Stocks lost only a few points after much of the day in the red, as negative readings for health-care stocks outdid advances in gold issues.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index moved to within 3.68 points of breakeven to close Tuesday at 15,727.11
The Canadian dollar retreated 0.06 cents at 75 cents U.S.
Bombardier shares scaled 16 cents, or 6.8% to $2.37, their highest level in a month, after Bloomberg cited unnamed sources saying the plane and train maker was in talks with Siemens to merge train operations in a deal that could be worth 10 billion euros.
Gold miners also featured among the most influential movers on the index as the price of the precious metal rose, with geopolitical worries about North Korea, the Middle East and the looming French election spurring investors to seek assets seen as havens from risk.
Barrick Gold advanced 80 cents, or 3.1%, to $26.79 and Goldcorp rose 53 cents, or 2.7%, to $20.44.
Materials also gave a good account of themselves, as Ivanhoe Mines moved up 14 cents, or 2.8%, to $5.10, and Agnico Eagle Mines jumped $1.46, or 2.4%, to $61.82.
Health-care shares were battered and bruised, however, as Aphria Inc. took it on the chin 62 cents, or 7.4%, to $7.77, and Canopy Growth slumbered 58 cents, or 5.3%, to $10.29.
The heavyweight financials group slipped, with Bank of Montreal down $1.11, or 1.1% at $98.80 and Toronto-Dominion Bank off 26 cents to $66.16.
Among tech concerns, BlackBerry fell three cents to $10.27, while Constellation Software dipped $3.03 to $636.99.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange took on four points Tuesday to 829.34
The 12 TSX subgroups were split evenly between gainers and losers, with gold surging 2.5%, materials stronger by 1.5%, and real-estate building 0.3%.
The half-dozen laggards were weighed most by health-care, down 1.9%, financials, settling 0.6%, and information technology, sagging 0.5%.
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. equities fell on Tuesday as investors fretted over geopolitical concerns, pushing safe-haven assets higher.
The Dow Jones Industrials fought its way toward the breakeven point, falling short but 6.72 points to 20,651.30, with Apple contributing the most losses. Apple was hit by a countersuit from chipmaker Qualcomm in a dispute over mobile technology licensing fees.
The Dow transports were also under pressure, as shares of United Continental briefly pulled back more than 4%, outrage over a passenger being dragged off an overbooked flight having finally up to the stock.
The S&P 500 slouched 3.38 points – also off its lows of the day -- to 2,353.78, with financials and information technology leading decliners.
The NASDAQ Composite remained negative 14.15 points to 5,866.77, as tech stocks declined for an eighth straight session.
On the economic data front, the NFIB small business optimism index slipped to 104.7 in March from 105.3 in February, but the uncertainty index hit its second-highest level in history.
Elsewhere, the U.S. JOLTS Report (Job Openings and Labour Turnover Survey) showed job openings were little changed at 5.7 million on the last business day of February. Over the month, hires and separations were little changed at 5.3 million and 5.1 million, respectively.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday his country will stand up against anyone who commits crimes against humanity. His comments were made before heading to Moscow, where he and Russian officials are expected to discuss last week's suspected chemical attack in Syria.
The U.S. responded by launching 59 Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airfield. But the Trump administration is also navigating through rising tensions with North Korea.
Earnings are also on deck for investors, as JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and Wells Fargo get set to report this week.
Prices for the benchmark 10-year Treasury note gained sharply, dropping yields to 2.3% from Monday’s 2.36%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices regained 14 cents at $53.22 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices hiked $20.50 at $1,274.40 U.S. an ounce.
