Stocks in Canada’s largest market eased in broad-based declines on Friday, led by real estate stocks, though the index was poised for weekly gains on rising hopes the U.S. Federal Reserve could cut borrowing costs next year.
The TSX Composite faded 134.39 points to begin the week’s last session at 20,644.41.
The Canadian dollar inched up 0.12 cents at 74.71 cents U.S.
Enghouse Systems reported a higher fourth-quarter revenue. The stock gained 38 cents, or 1.1%, to $33.73.
On the economic slate, Statistics Canada said non-resident investors reduced their exposure to Canadian securities by $15.8 billion in October, led by an unprecedented divestment in private corporate debt instruments. Meanwhile, Canadian investors lowered their holdings of foreign securities by $8.2 billion, nearly all of which was in U.S shares.
Housing starts came in at 212,600 in November, compared to 272,300 in September. The Canadian Real Estate Association declared national home sales edged back 0.9% month-over-month in November.
Statistics Canada reported wholesale sales fell 0.5% to $81.7 billion in October.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange docked 0.37 points to 533.89.
All 12 subgroups were lower at the outset, with real-estate dropping 1.6%, energy 1.4% less energetic and communications off 1%.
ON WALLSTREET
Stocks were little changed on Friday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average looked to add to this week’s gains, which have led the 30-stock average to all-time highs.
The blue-chip index fell 92.25 points to commence Friday at 37,156.10.
The S&P 500 fumbled 3.69 points to 4,715.86.
The NASDAQ jumped 58.28 points to 14,819.84.
Shares of Costco climbed nearly 3% after the retailer surpassed Wall Street’s estimates for quarterly results and issued a dividend of $15 per share.
The major averages are headed for their seventh straight positive week. As of Thursday, the Dow is higher on the week by 2.8%. The S&P 500 is up by 2.5%, while the NASDAQ Composite rose 2.5% this week. It would also mark the S&P 500's seventh straight weekly gain, its longest winning streak since 2017. The Dow is also on pace for a nine-week winning streak, its longest run since 2019.
The S&P 500 could soon join the Dow with its own all-time high. The broad market index is less than 1.6% away from a record close set in January 2022. The NASDAQ is roughly 8% away from its highest-ever close, and about 9% from its all-time intraday high.
Stocks could see volatile trading as the S&P 500 and NASDAQ go through their respective rebalances. Once complete, Uber will be part of the S&P 500, and DoorDash and MongoDB will be added to the NASDAQ. One concern for this rebalancing is some stocks could end up having outsized weighting going on the indexes.
Prices for the 10-year Treasury inched higher, lowering yields to 3.90% from Thursday’s 3.91%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices sagged 60 cents to $70.98 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices gained $6.60 to $2,051.50.
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