Stocks in Canada’s largest centre were fairly flat as financials retreated, while higher oil helped energy stocks edge higher even as oil producers were hit with fresh wildfire-related disruptions.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index picked up 6.81 points to open Tuesday at 13,900.30
The Canadian dollar trailed yesterday’s close by 0.35 cents to 77.2 cents U.S.
Brazilian plane maker Embraer SA may challenge the state funding received by Canadian rival Bombardier Inc. at the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Bombardier shares dipped 1.5 cents to $1.95.
Hudson's Bay Co will expand in Europe by taking over 20 department stores in the Netherlands.
Bay shares took 16 cents, or 1.1%, to $14.76.
PokerStars owner Amaya Inc's quarterly profit more than doubled as the company added customers, expanded its online casino offerings and invested in its online sportsbook, results showed on Monday.
Shares in Amaya gave back one cent to $7.94.
Indonesia's Gunawan family is weighing the sale of as much as an 80% stake in its general insurance business, PT Asuransi Multi Artha Guna, to Canada's Fairfax Financial Holdings.
Fairfax shares docked 77 cents to $660.45.
On the economic beat, Statistics Canada reported that manufacturing sales in this country fell 0.9% to $50.0 billion in March, a second consecutive monthly decline.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange nicked higher 0.7 points to 687.11
Nine of the 13 TSX subgroups were lower, weighed mostly by gold, down 1.1%, metals and mining, sliding 0.8%, and real-estate, off 0.4%.
The four gainers were led by health-care, up 1.9%, energy, better by 0.2%, and utilities, poking up 0.1%.
ON WALLSTREET
Equities south of the border lurched downward soon after Tuesday’s opening bell, weighed by a reversal in oil prices from earlier highs, as traders turned their attention toward data for indications on U.S. Federal Reserve policy.
The Dow Jones Industrials faded 56.09 points to 17,654.62. Shares of Home Depot briefly traded more than 2.5% lower to contribute the most to declines in the Dow as most member stocks declined.
Early Tuesday, Home Depot posted quarterly earnings and revenue that topped expectations and also raised its full-year guidance.
The S&P 500 lost seven points to 2,059.66, with utilities, consumer staples and financials leading all 10 sectors lower.
The NASDAQ Composite faded 7.59 points to 4,767.95, as Apple tried for a third-straight day of gains.
TJX Cos, the owner of T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, reported a 9.9% rise in quarterly sales, while comparable sales rose 7%. Net income rose to $508.3 million, or 76 cents per share, in the first quarter ended April 30 from $474.6 million, or 69 cents per share, a year earlier.
On the economic board, industrial production rose 0.7% in April. Capacity utilization was 75.4%.
The U.S. Labor Department says the consumer price index rose 0.4% in April. Ex-food and energy, the index rose 0.2% last month, or 2.1% over the last 12 months. That compares with a 2.2% rise for the 12 months ending March.
Housing starts rose 6.6% in April to a seasonally adjusted annual pace of 1.17 million units.
Prices for the 10-year Treasury gained ground, lowering yields to 1.74% from Monday’s 1.75%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices added 14 cents a barrel to $47.86 U.S.
Gold prices gained $1.59 to $1,275.75 U.S. an ounce.
