Equities in Canada’s largest market suffered their third straight day of losses, as energy weakness overcame a shinier performance from gold issues.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index dropped 49.22 points to wrap up Thursday at 16,082.57
The Canadian dollar stayed afloat 0.04 cents to 74.04 cents U.S.
Among the largest percentage gainers on the TSX was BRP Inc, which jumped $5.53, or 15.3%, to $41.69 after reporting quarterly earnings.
Canadian Natural Resources was among a bevy of energy holdings which fell short of Wednesday’s finish, losing 27 cents to $36.54, while Suncor subsided 39 cents to $41.89.
Utilities were also on the downside looking up, as Fortis forfeited 28 cents to $50.81, while Hydro One doffed 25 cents, or 1.1%, to $22.67.
Real-estate issues suffered, too, as Colliers International Group slid 22 cents to $83.25, while Brookfield Asset Management moved downward 24 cents to $62.49.
B2Gold Corp gained seven cents, or 2%, to $3.53, followed by shares of Kirkland Lake Gold, up 85 cents, or 2%, to $43.94.
Agnico Eagle Mines gained 82 cents, or 1.5%, to $56.62, while Frontier Lithium moved up half a cent, or 1.5%, to 35 cents.
Among techs, Shopify triumphed $5.63, or 1.5%, to $373.48, while Constellation Software leaped $14.04, or 1.2%, to $1,179.17.
On the economic calendar, Statistics Canada reported that average weekly earnings of non-farm payroll employees were $1,016 in March, up 0.8% from February following four months of little change.
The agency adds that, compared with 12 months earlier, earnings grew by 1.9%.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange fell 1.85 points to 602.63.
Seven of the 12 Toronto subgroups were lower on the day as energy dropped 1.4%, and utilities fell 0.7%, and real-estate docked 0.6%.
The five gainers were led by gold, up 1.4%, while materials and information technology each gained 0.7%.
ON WALLSTREET
Stocks rose on Thursday, regaining some of the losses from the previous session, but the market’s gains were kept in check as worries over the global economy and trade lingered.
The Dow Jones Industrials finished the day ahead 43.47 points to 25,169.88, led by McDonald’s and Coca-Cola.
The S&P 500 gained 5.84 points to 2,788.86, as the real estate and tech sectors outperformed. The S&P 500 is down more than 5% this month and remains below 2,800 — a key level watched by traders — for the first time since late March.
The NASDAQ Composite added 20.41 points to 7,567.72
Shares of software company Keysight Technologies led the tech sector higher, rising 11.3% on stronger-than-expected earnings.
Bank shares followed yields lower, as Bank of America shares lost 2.1%. J.P. Morgan Chase also declined 1.1%.
In economic news, the second read on first-quarter U.S. Gross Domestic Product showed the economy expanded by 3.1% on an annualized basis. The 3.1% print topped a Dow Jones estimate of 3%.
The protracted trade dispute between China and the U.S. still weighed on markets. A senior Chinese diplomat ramped up the rhetoric overnight. Also, China has halted soy purchases from the U.S., according to Bloomberg News.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Hanhui said Thursday that provoking trade disputes amounted to “naked economic terrorism.”
Washington and Beijing have imposed tariffs on billions of dollars’ worth of one another’s goods since the start of 2018, battering financial markets. Earlier this month, both countries ratcheted up tensions through higher tariffs.
Prices for the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury gained ground, lowering yields to 2.22% from Wednesday’s 2.26%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices docked $2.28 to $56.53 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices moved ahead $6.80 at $1,293.10 U.S. an ounce.
