TSX Cools from All-Time High
Canada's main stock index declined on Friday, dragged down by losses in technology shares, as Israel's widescale strikes on Iran dampened global risk appetite.
The TSX Composite Index remained beneath the breakeven point by 48.33 points to reach noon EDT Friday at 26,567.42. So far, on the week, the index has grown 138 points, or 0.52%, including Thursday’s all-time high.
The Canadian dollar advanced 0.1 cents to 73.65 cents U.S.
In corporate news, Dundee Precious Metals will acquire U.K.'s Adriatic Metals in a cash-and-stock deal valued at $1.25 billion. Shares in Dundee gained 45 cents, or 2.2%, to $20.97.
Economically speaking, manufacturing sales decreased 2.8% in April, the third consecutive monthly decline, driven largely on lower sales of petroleum and coal products, motor vehicles, and primary metals.
Excluding the petroleum and coal product subsector, total manufacturing sales were down 1.8%.
What’s more, wholesale sales fell 2.3% to $84.0 billion in April.
Finally, new motor vehicle sales totaled 195,659 in April, increasing 11.3% from one year earlier. Gains were widespread, with all provinces observing a higher number of units sold. April represented the month with the highest sales on record in dollar terms, at nearly $10.8 billion.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange dipped 1.12 points to 720.67. On the week, the index has lost 0.9 points, or 0.13%.
Seven of the 12 TSX subgroups were lower, weighed most by information technology, sliding 1.3%, while consumer discretionary stocks lost 0.8%, and industrials fell 0.5%.
The five gainers were led by energy, ahead 1.8%, while gold gathered 1.5%, and materials prospered 1.2%.
ON WALLSTREET
Stocks tumbled Friday after Israel launched a wave of airstrikes on Iran, pushing energy prices higher and adding another complication at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions.
The Dow Jones Industrials remained in the red 398.78 points to 42,568.84
The S&P 500 index dipped 24.22 points to 6,021.04.
The NASDAQ Composite was down 96.99 points to19,565.50.
Stocks were on track for gains on the week before Friday’s selloff. The S&P is down 0.2% this week, while the 30-stock Dow is down 1% and the Nasdaq has lost 0.5%.
Nvidia and other stocks that have led the market’s comeback from the April lows dropped as investors shed risk. Oil and defense stocks were higher. Exxon added more than 1%, while Lockheed Martin jumped about 3%.
The market drop happened as Israel’s defense minister Israel Katz declared a special state of emergency following an Israeli attack on Iran. Two U.S. officials said that there is no U.S. involvement or assistance.
President Donald Trump, in a Friday morning post on his social media site Truth Social, warned Iran to come to the negotiating table.
“There has already been great death and destruction, but there is still time to make this slaughter, with the next already planned attacks being even more brutal, come to an end. Iran must make a deal, before there is nothing left, and save what was once known as the Iranian Empire,” Trump wrote. “No more death, no more destruction, JUST DO IT, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.”
Separately, a closely watched University of Michigan survey released Friday indicated an uptick in consumer sentiment last month. The university’s Survey of Consumers rose to 60.5 in June, well ahead of the Dow Jones estimate for 54 and a 15.9% increase from a month ago.
Prices for the 10-year Treasury gained, lowering yields to 4.39% from Thursday’s 4.36%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices increased $4.47 to $72.51 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices vaulted $55.00 to $3,457.40 U.S. an ounce.
