Equities in Canada’s largest market struggled into positive regions Tuesday, as gains for real-estate and gold were balanced by losses in industrial and health-care stocks.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index moved upward 11.05 points to end Tuesday at 15,618.93
The Canadian dollar lost 0.12 cents to 77.78 cents U.S.
Among real-estate stocks, the largest percentage gainer on the TSX was Colliers International Group, which rose $6.80, or 7.8%, to $94.01, after the company reported first-quarter results that topped analysts' estimates.
Elsewhere in the sector, units in RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust gained a dime to $23.45.
Gold made its way into the sun, thanks in part to Goldcorp, up eight cents to $17.12, while Kinross Gold, jumping eight cents, or 1.6%, to $5.05.
The materials group fought its way up, led by First Quantum Minerals, up 23 cents, or 1.2%, to $18.73, and Agnico Eagle Mines, up 12 cents to $54.15.
Industrials trudged downward, as Bombardier tracked downward 10 cents, or 2.5%, to $3.87, while Air Canada was grounded 16 cents to $25.08.
Among health-care concerns, Aurora Cannabis tumbled 24 cents, or 3%, to $7.85, while Canopy Growth Corporation handed back 64 cents, or 2.1%. to $29.47.
Energy stocks took some knocks, as Imperial Oil lost 50 cents, or 1.3%, to $39.43, while Suncor docked six cents to $49.04.
On the economic front, Statistics Canada said Canada’s Gross Domestic Product rose 0.4% in February, as 15 of 20 industrial sectors increased. The growth was led by a rebound in the mining and oil and gas extraction sector.
Moreover, the White House said Monday that President Donald Trump has postponed the imposition of steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada, the European Union and Mexico until June 1, and has reached agreements for permanent exemptions for Argentina, Australia and Brazil.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange docked 8.17 points, or 1%, to 775.46
The 12 TSX subgroups were evenly divided, as real-estate climbed 0.5%, gold shone 0.3% brighter, and materials were 0.2% stronger.
The half-dozen laggards were weighed most by industrial, nodding 0.8%, health-care, ailing 0.5%, and energy, 0.3% less energetic.
ON WALLSTREET
The NASDAQ Composite came out of the shadows and rose on Tuesday, led by gains in Apple ahead of the tech giant's quarterly earnings release.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average – stuck way down in negative territory -- fought its way up to within 64.1 points of breakeven to close at 24,099.05, with Boeing down $4.06, or 1.2%, to $329.54, and Pfizer off $1.22, or 3.3%, to $35.40.
The S&P 500 regained 6.75 points to 2,654.80, erasing earlier losses, as Apple's gains pushed the technology sector 1.5% higher.
The NASDAQ leaped 64.44 points to 7,130.70, while Apple climbed 2.3%
Apple is scheduled to report fiscal second quarter earnings and revenue Tuesday after the close. Apple is the largest publicly traded company in the U.S., with a market cap of nearly $850 billion.
Of the S&P 500 companies that have reported thus far, 80% have posted better-than-expected earnings. Merck, Pfizer, Aetna, and Archer Daniels Midland all reported stronger-than-forecast results before the bell Tuesday.
Tuesday marked the first trading day of May, which kicks off a historically rough period for the market. The major indexes posted their first monthly gains last month.
Investors also looked to Washington as the Fed began a two-day monetary policy meeting.
Market participants are not expecting any alterations to interest rates. However, investors will be on the lookout for clues about the central bank's views on inflation and the economy.
In economic data news, the Institute for Supply Management manufacturing index hit 57.3 in April.
Prices for the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell slightly, raising yields to 2.97% from Monday’s 2.95%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices dropped $1.12 a barrel to $67.45 U.S.
Gold prices stumbled $13.70 to $1,305.50 U.S. an ounce.
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