Markets in Toronto hit a two-week low with losses broad-based, as a drop in crude oil prices weighed on the commodity-linked index.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index continued to struggle, losing 97.79 points to open Thursday at 13,281.69
The Canadian dollar plummeted 0.77 cents to 75.29 cents U.S.
Equity markets throughout North America are closed tomorrow for Good Friday.
A federal judge on Wednesday granted class certification for a U.S. class-action lawsuit filed against Barrick Gold Corp claiming Barrick misstated facts of its now halted Pascua-Lama gold-mine project on the border of Argentina and Chile.
Barrick shares gained 36 cents, or 2.1%, to $17.90.
Raymond James cut the rating on Teck Resources to underperform from market perform. Teck shares retreated 54 cents, or 5.6%, to $9.11.
On the economic slate, Statistics Canada reported that Canadians receiving employment insurance benefits totaled 543,100 in January, virtually unchanged from the previous month.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange erased 0.77 points to 575.37
All but three of the 13 TSX subgroups were negative to begin the session, as metals and mining caved 3%, health-care subsided 2.2%, and energy wilted 1.4%.
The three gainers were gold, up 2.1%, materials, nosing up 0.3%, and consumer staples, nicking up 0.2%.
ON WALLSTREET
Equities south of the border traded lower Thursday, the final trading day of the week, as a decline in oil prices weighed and traders eyed dollar strength.
The Dow Jones Industrials skidded 81.23 points to 17,421.36, back into the red for the year so far, with Goldman Sachs and Boeing the greatest decliners.
Among Dow transports, Avis Budget and United Continental were the biggest losers.
The S&P 500 shed 11.84 points to 2,024.87. Energy and financials traded more than 1% lower each to weigh S&P 500 decliners.
The NASDAQ index fell 18.31 points to 4,750.55
In economic news, weekly jobless claims came in at 265,000. February durable goods orders declined 2.8%
Non-defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft, a closely watched proxy for business spending plans, decreased 1.8% after advancing by a downwardly revised 3.1% in January.
The Markit flash U.S. services PMI was 51.0 in March, up from 49.7 in February.
Prices for the 10-year Treasury were marginally higher, lowering yields to 1.87% from Wednesday’s 1.88%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices dropped $1.36 a barrel to $38.43 U.S.
Gold prices surrendered 79 cents to $1,219.32 U.S. an ounce.
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