Canada's main stock index fell at the open on Monday, pulled down by energy shares, as oil prices slipped on weak China export data.
The TSX Composite Index handed back 7.99 points to begin the week at 16,988.98, after enjoying sharp gains on Friday.
The Canadian dollar inched up 0.03 cents to 75.50 cents U.S.
Mexico would accept a U.S. demand on steel in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement if the rule took effect at least five years after the trade pact's ratification, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Sunday.
Canopy Growth named Chairman David Klein as it its chief executive officer, firming up the control of major shareholder Constellation Brands.
Canopy shares sprinted $2.36, or 9.6%, to $27.08.
Institutional Shareholder Services said on Friday it recommends shareholders vote against a plan by the chairman of Hudson's Bay Co to take the Saks Fifth Avenue owner private after the bid was topped by an offer from Catalyst Capital Group Inc.
Shares in the Bay inched up three cents to $9.16.
JPMorgan raised the price target on MEG Energy to $7.00 from $6.00. MEG shares were unchanged in price at $6.29.
Jefferies cut the rating on Roots Corp. to hold from buy. Roots shares were static at $2.26.
On the economic slate, Statistics Canada said building permits decreased 1.5% to $8.3 billion in October. The agency said declines were reported in five provinces, with the largest decrease in British Columbia (-21.2% to $1.3 billion).
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation reported that housing starts in Canada were 219,047 units last month, compared to 218,253 units in October, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
This trend measure is a six-month moving average of the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rates of housing starts.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange regained 2.27 points to 540.09
In Toronto, seven of the 12 subgroups were negative to start, with financials down 0.4%, consumer staples off 0.2%, and industrials sinking 0.1%.
The five gainers were led by health-care, up 2.4%, information technology ahead 0.7%, and gold, better by 0.3%.
ON WALLSTREET
Stocks fell slightly on Monday as investors took a pause after three consecutive days of gains.
The Dow Jones Industrials begged off from Friday’s dizzy heights by 30.58 points to 27,984.48
The S&P 500 eked up 1.33 points to 3,147.24
The NASDAQ acquired 18.64 points to 8,675.16
Macy’s was among the worst-performing stocks in the S&P 500, sliding 2.2% after an analyst at Goldman Sachs downgraded it to sell from neutral. Energy fell 0.9% and was the biggest laggard in the S&P 500. Shares of 3M led the Dow’s decline, sliding 1.2%.
Prices for the 10-Year U.S. Treasury gained ground, lowering yields to 1.82% from Friday’s 1.84%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices dropped 36 cents at $58.84 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices nicked ahead $1.60 to $1,466.70 U.S. an ounce.
