Canada's main stock index fell hard on Friday as investors fretted about the state of the global economy, sending shares in every major market sector lower.
The S&P/TSX composite index fell 152.93 points, or 1.1%, to pause for lunch Friday at 14,307.67, after a drop Thursday of more than 200 points.
The Canadian dollar moved higher 0.09 cents at 89.50 cents U.S.
The index has dropped in four of the five trading sessions this week and has shed about 9% since reaching a record high last month.
Shares of energy producers, which have been under pressure for the past three months as oil prices have fallen, tumbled on Friday and had the biggest negative influence on the Toronto stock market's benchmark TSX index, which appeared headed for its biggest single-day percentage fall in more than a year.
Among energy shares, Suncor Energy gave back 2.3% to $36.66 and Canadian Natural Resources lost 1.8% to $38.37.
Industrials shed 2.4 percent. Canadian Pacific Railway plunged 8.6% to $203.67, and Canadian National Railway was down 3.8% to $71.70.
On the economic slate, Statistics Canada said the workforce increased by 74,000 in September, nearly all in full-time work, pushing the unemployment rate down 0.2 percentage points to 6.8%, the lowest since December 2008.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange faded 14.38 points to 822.44.
All but two of the 14 Toronto subgroups were lower by lunch time, with industrials swooning 1.8%, information technology falling behind 1.7%, and energy stocks 1.5% worse than yesterday.
The two gainers were gold, up 1%, and metals and mining, better by 0.3%.
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. stocks were mixed on Friday as the key equities benchmarks are poised to record weekly losses after a roller-coaster week of up-and-down trading.
The Dow Jones Industrials recovered 42.70 points to 16,701.95, after yesterday’s tumble of more than 330 points.
The S&P 500 eked up 0.74 points to 1,928.95. The NASDAQ index dipped 33.09 points to 4,345.25.
Tesla Motors Inc. late Thursday unveiled its latest Model S car. But shares slid 5.9% Friday.
Symantec Corp. shares were off 1.1%. The security software maker late Thursday said it plans to split in two publicly traded companies.
Juniper Networks Inc. fell 4.5% after late Thursday’s warning that fiscal third-quarter revenue and adjusted earnings are likely to come in below its previous estimates.
Exact Sciences Corp. shares rallied 36% as the company’s Cologuard test to detect colorectal cancer will be covered by Medicare.
Alpha Pro Tech Ltd. is up 32% and Lakeland Industries Inc is up 16% following gains from Thursday amid rising Ebola outbreak concerns. Alpha Pro Tech’s infection control unit makes face masks and eye shields, and Lakeland makes protective clothing for health care and first responders.
The prices paid for imported goods fell 0.5% in September and declined for the third straight month, mostly due to falling worldwide oil prices.
Prices for 10-year U.S. Treasuries gained ground, lowering yields to 2.31% from Thursday’s 2.33%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices fell 52 cents to $85.25 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices backtracked $3.10 to $1,222.20 U.S. an ounce.
