Equities in Canada’s largest centre bounced back by Monday’s closing bell, riding on the back of gold, materials and telecom stocks.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index seesawed between gains and losses, but finished in the green 36.65 points to conclude Monday at 15,584.40
The Canadian dollar faded 0.34 cents at 74.75 cents U.S.
Gold miners, including Barrick Gold, advanced 59 cents, or 2.3% to $25.85, and IAMGOLD picked up 24 cents, or 4.5%, to $5.56.
Among materials stocks, Teck Resources ballooned $1.60, or 5.5%, to $30.68, while Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan strengthened 10 cents to $22.82.
Telecoms also fared well, as BCE Inc. grew 32 cents to $59.20, while TELUS Corp. picked up 19 cents to $43.36.
Health-care stocks got walloped, however, as Canopy Growth Corporation handed back 44 cents, or 4.4%, to $10.18, while Valeant Pharmaceuticals took it on the chin 69 cents, or 4.7%, to $14.00
Among consumer discretionary issues, Magna International surrendered $1.25, or 2.2%, to $56.14, while Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers dipped 73 cents, or 1.7%, to $43.04.
On the economic slate, the seasonally-adjusted Markit Canada Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index rose to 55.5 in March from 54.7 in February, to remain above the crucial 50.0 no-change value for the 13th consecutive month.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange surged 2.07 points to 817.84
The 12 TSX subgroups finished evenly split between gainers and losers, as gold triumphed 2.3%, materials took on 1.6%, and telecoms gained 0.5%.
The half-dozen laggards were weighed most by health-care stocks, ailing 2.1%, consumer discretionary, off 0.6%, and utilities, sliding 0.5%.
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. equities fell on Monday, but closed well off their lows, while investors digested key economic and auto sales data.
The Dow Jones Industrials fought to within 13.01 points of breakeven Monday to 20,650.21, with DuPont and Goldman Sachs contributing the most losses. The 30-stock index briefly had fallen more than 100 points earlier in the session.
The S&P 500 fell 3.88 points to 2,358.84, with materials and consumer discretionary lagging.
The NASDAQ Composite briefly touched an intraday high, before setting 17.06 points to 5,894.68
The Institute for Supply Management manufacturing index read for March hit 57.2, topping estimates but slipping from the previous month's level. Construction spending rose 0.8% in February to its highest level in nearly 11 years.
Monthly auto sales numbers will also be released throughout the day, with Autodata reporting that Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler all showing declining numbers. Sales totaled 16.62 million for March.
Wall Street also prepared itself for a meeting between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday and Friday.
The two leaders are expected to discuss trade and North Korea, among other subjects.
Prices for the benchmark 10-year Treasury note gained sharply, lowering yields to 2.34% from Friday’s 2.4%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices subsided 35 cents at $50.25 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices regained $3.80 at $1,255 U.S. an ounce.
