Stocks in Canada’s largest market made faint headway on the day Friday, but finished off on the week.
The TSX eked out a gain of 14.37 points to conclude Friday at 20,578.61. On the week, the index lost 146 points, or 0.7%.
Energy carried the gaining groups, with Meg Energy claiming 98 cents, or 4.4%, to $23.19, while Precision Drilling acquired $3.66, or 4.4%, to $86.91.
In utilities, Fortis gained $1.98, or 3.7%, to $55.60, while Emera Corp. picked up $1.47, or 2.8%, to $54.12.
Industrials enjoyed a day in the sun, with Russel Metals jumping $1.61, or 5%, to $33.93, while Thomson Reuters advanced $6.06, or 3.9%, to $160.87.
Consumer discretionary stocks fell like bricks, with Magna International slumping $14.68, or 16.9%, to $72.29, while Aritzia dipped $1.74, or 3.9%, to $42.60.
In tech stocks, Converge Technology Solutions gave back 60 cents, or 10.2%, to $5.31, while HUT 8 Mining lost 21 cents, or 8.5%, to $2.26.
In materials, Capstone Mining forked over 37 cents, or 6.1%, to $5.73, while SSR Mining blundered $1.90, or 9%, to $19.32.
On the economic calendar, Statistics Canada said the economy created 150,000 jobs in January, keeping the unemployment rate at 5%.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange backpedaled 2.99 points Friday to 613.42, for a loss on the week of 6.7 points, or 1.1%.
Seven of the 12 subgroups remained lower by the close, as consumer discretionary declined 4.4%, information technology dropped 1.8%, materials shied away 1.1%.
The four gainers were led by energy, up 2.6%, utilities, marching 1.4%, and industrials, rumbling 1.1%.
ON WALLSTREET
The S&P 500 oscillated between gains and losses as Wall Street looked to the end of what’s shaping up to be a losing week.
The Dow Jones Industrials leaped 169.39 points to conclude the day and the week at 33,869.27.
The much-broader index pulled into the positive range 8.96 points to 4,090.46.
The NASDAQ Composite fell, however, 71.46 points to 11,718.12.
Each major index was on track to end the week with losses. Down 1.4%, the S&P 500 was poised for its first weekly decline in three weeks.
The index was also on track for its largest one-week loss since December. Meanwhile, the Dow looked set to lose 0.4%, and the NASDAQ was on pace to lose 2.7%.
Ride-hailing platform Lyft tanked more than 35% after a disappointing fiscal fourth-quarter report. Expedia also saw its shares fall by more than 9% after its earnings and revenue fell below analysts’ expectations.
Those are the latest reports in what has been considered an underwhelming quarter by Wall Street. With nearly 70% S&P 500 companies reporting, around 70% of those companies beat analyst expectations for the quarter. That’s a smaller share of companies surpassing expectations than the three-year historical average of 79%
Prices for the 10-year Treasury faltered, raising yields to 3.75% from Thursday’s 3.67%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices gathered $1.74 to $79.80 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices faded $3.80 to $1,874.70 U.S. an ounce.
