Canada's main stock index dipped on Thursday, as conflicting cues on U.S.-China trade discussions dampened sentiment, but gains in shares of energy and cannabis producers kept losses at bay.
The TSX Composite Index removed 26.76 points to greet noon Thursday at 16,979.06
The Canadian dollar regained 0.12 cents to 75.29 cents U.S.
Health-care concerns led the rest by far, as Canopy Growth headed higher $4.07, or 17.3%, to $27.56. Aurora Cannabis jumped 59 cents, or 16.9%, to $4.09. Hexo experienced gains of 92 cents, or 36.4%, to $3.45.
OceanaGold fell 20 cents, or 7.7%, the most on the TSX, to $2.33, while shares in Turquoise Hill Resources fought their way to breakeven at 59 cents.
On the macroeconomic front, Statistics Canada says the number of Canadian drawing regular employment insurance benefits dropped in September to 445,600, down 5,600, or 1.2%, from August.
The agency says there were notable decreases in five provinces, particularly in Alberta and B.C. At the same time, there were more EI beneficiaries in Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange recouped 4.28 points to 528.42
Eight of the 12 Toronto subgroups were lower, weighed most by gold, materials and industrials, each down 0.6%.
The four gainers were led by health-care, sprinting 6.5%, consumer staples, up 0.7%, and information technology, inching up 0.2%.
ON WALLSTREET
Stocks slipped on Thursday as investors digested the latest reports surrounding the U.S.-China trade war.
The Dow Jones Industrials fell 80.61 points to 27,740.48. Travelers and Procter & Gamble were the biggest losers in the Dow as both fell more than 1%.
The S&P 500 doffed 8.13 points to 3,100.33.
The NASDAQ lost 29.92 points to 8,496.81. Amazon co-led the decline, dropping 0.4%, while and Alphabet dipped 0.6%.
In corporate news, media reports have Charles Schwab in talks to buy TD Ameritrade. The news sent TD Ameritrade shares flying by more than 20% while Schwab’s stock rose more than 10%. A deal between the two would create a company with $5 trillion in combined assets.
During a phone call thought to have been made late last week, Chinese Vice Premier Liu He invited U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to Beijing to sit down for further negotiations, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.
Prices for the 10-Year U.S. Treasury retreated, raising yields to 1.77% from Wednesday’s 1.74%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices gained 93 cents to $57.94 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices dropped $6.10 to $1,468.10 U.S. an ounce.
