The TSX again dove sharply in the mid-afternoon session, far below the 15,000 threshold, still taking a beating from embattled telecom and utility stocks.
The S&P/TSX composite index dropped 62.23 points to end the day and the week at 14,957.16
The Canadian dollar climbed 0.37 cents to 80.37 cents U.S.
Gold stocks plummeted, as Pretium Resources slid 33 cents, or 4.3%, to $7.33, and Semafo dipped 16 cents, or 4.2%, to $3.55.
Kinross Gold was the most actively traded stock, giving back a cent to $3.06, on 7.8 million shares.
Utilities retreated, as Brookfield Renewable Energy fell 98 cents, or 2.7%, to $35.17, and Algonquin Power & Utilities dipped 21 cents, or 2.3%, to $9.04.
Material stocks also fell, as China Gold International Resources subsided 10 cents, or 4.2%, to $2.29.
Health-care, a notable advancer at midday, was ahead, as Valeant Pharmaceuticals tacked on $1.75 to $292.92.
Economically speaking, Statistics Canada reported that the economy added 59,000 jobs in May. However, the agency adds that more Canadians were looking for work last month, leaving the unemployment rate unchanged at 6.8% for the fourth consecutive month.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange regained 5.69 points to 689.62.
All but three of the 14 TSX subgroups were negative on the day, with gold skidding 2.3%, utilities suffering 1.5%, and materials down 1.2%
The three gainers were health-care, up 1.1%, while metals and mining eked up 0.04%, and energy inched up 0.02%.
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. stocks closed narrowly mixed on Friday as investors eyed developments in Greece and weighed a bond yield rally on a strong jobs report, which supports the case for a rate hike this year
The Dow Jones Industrials fell 56.12 points Friday to end the week at 17,849.46, with Verizon the greatest decliner and JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs leading advancers.
The S&P 500 index faded 2.25 points to 2,093.59.
Financials, direct beneficiaries of higher interest rates, gained about half a percent as one of the few advancing sectors in the S&P 500. Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase hit new multi-near highs and were among the few blue chip gainers.
The NASDAQ gained 10.57 points to 5,069.70.
Cybersecurity stocks Palo Alto Networks, FireEye, and Fortinet are in focus following news of the massive cyber attack that compromised the information of about four million federal employees. The PureFunds ISE Cybersecurity ETF jumped 3%.
DreamWorks briefly surged more than 7.5% after the stock to buy from hold at Stifel Nicolaus, citing positive meetings with investor management.
U.S. non-farm payrolls totaled 280,000 in May, beating expectations, with unemployment slightly above forecasts at 5.5% Average hourly earnings increased by eight cents, also beating expectations. The labor force participation rate gained to 62.9%.
In its annual assessment of the U.S. economy, the International Monetary Fund said on Thursday the Fed should delay a rate hike until the first half of next year until there are signs of a rebound in wages and inflation.
Prices for 10-year U.S. Treasuries skidded, lifting yields to 2.41% from Thursday’s 2.31%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices hiked 97 cents a barrel to $58.97 U.S.
Gold prices fell $4.70 at $1,170.50 U.S. an ounce.
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