Equities in Toronto backtracked Wednesday, as weakness in health-care and resource metals weighed most heavily.
The TSX stumbled 100.98 points to close Wednesday at 20,103.89.
The Canadian dollar retreated 0.34 cents to 75.27 cents U.S.
Health-care took the biggest pounding, as Tilray handed over 10 cents, or 4.4%, to $2.18, while Chartwell Retirement Residences lost 14 cents, or 1.5%, to $9.33.
In gold, Equinox Gold was bruised 37 cents, or 5.7%, to $6.14, while Osisko Gold Royalties dumped $1.94, or 9.5%, to $18.51.
Materials also suffered, as Dundee Precious Metals fell 31 cents, or 3.3%, to $9.01, while Interfor lost 66 cents, or 2.6%, to $24.64.
Communications tried to shine a ray of light on an otherwise dark day, with Quebecor rising 85 cents, or 2.6%, to $33.76, while Cogeco Communications climbed $1.37, or 2%, to $71.50.
In real-estate, Crombie REIT units gained 40 cents, or 2.9%, to $14.14, while H&R REIT gathered 13 cents, or 1.3%, to $10.36.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange fell 3.78 points to 622.81.
All but three of the 12 TSX subgroups were lower, with health-care retreating 2%, gold easing 1.3% and materials losing 1%.
The two gainers were communications, up 0.6%, while real-estate forged ahead 0.2%. Consumer discretionary stocks were unchanged at the closing bell.
ON WALLSTREET
The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid on Wednesday as Wall Street resumed a holiday-shortened week and digested the latest Federal Reserve meeting minutes for insights into the state of monetary policy.
The 30-stock index fell 129.83 points to end the day’s trading at 34,288.64.
The S&P 500 dipped 8.77 points to 4,446.82.
The NASDAQ index slid 25.12 points to 13,791.65.
Investors parsed minutes from the June 13-14 Fed meeting released Wednesday afternoon, in which most officials indicated further interest rate hikes could lie ahead. The minutes gave Wall Street additional context to the central bank’s decision to skip a rate increase at the June meeting.
Data released Wednesday morning showed factory orders were weaker than expected in May. Later in the week, investors will watch for a batch of employment and wage data for insights into the strength of the labor market.
Investors are coming off a positive session Monday, which kicked off the start of a new month, quarter and half-year for traders. Markets closed early on Monday and were completely dark on Tuesday for the Fourth of July holiday.
Prices for the 10-year Treasury dropped sharply, raising yields to 3.93% from Monday’s 3.82%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices added $2.14 to $71.93 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices sank $6.20 to $1,923.30 U.S. an ounce.
Dow Ends 3-Day Win Streak
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