TSX ends lower ahead of U.S. jobs data; energy limits decline
TSX ends down 0.1% at 23,968.50
Posts second straight modest decline
Materials sector loses 1.2% as copper falls
Energy rises 2.8%; oil settles 5.2% higher
Updates at market close
By Fergal Smith
Oct 3 (Reuters) -Canada's main stock index ended lower for a second straight day on Thursday as investors grew cautious ahead of a key U.S. employment report, but gains for energy shares on soaring oil prices helped contain the market's decline.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE ended down 33.05 points, or 0.1%, at 23,968.50, adding to a modest pullback since notching a record closing high on Tuesday.
"We've seen investors taking a pause to consider things," said Michael Sprung, president of Sprung Investment Management. "We're waiting for some employment numbers tomorrow ... the market is waiting to see where that shakes out."
U.S. nonfarm payrolls data, due on Friday, is expected to show the American economy added 140,000 jobs in September. Investors are anxious for more data on the labor market after the Federal Reserve last month cut its benchmark interest rate by an unusually large 50 basis points.
"We've been through a somewhat exuberant market and certainly valuations appear very high," Sprung said.
The materials sector, which includes fertilizer companies and metal mining shares, ended 1.2% lower as copper HGc1 prices declined.
Shares of NovaGold Resources NG.TO were particularly hard hit, ending down 12.7%, after the company reported quarterly results.
The utilities and real estate sectors fell 1.3% and 1.7% respectively as bond yields climbed after the release of strong U.S. services sector data. The Canadian 10-year yield CA10YT=RR was up 7.3 basis points at 3.100%.
The energy sector was one of just three sectors to notch gains. It advanced 2.8% as the price of oil settled 5.2% higher at $73.71 a barrel over concerns that the escalating Middle East conflict could hit crude supply.
Reporting by Fergal Smith in Toronto and Nikhil Sharma in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel, Leroy Leo and Jonathan Oatis
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
