Equities in Canada’s largest market regressed toward the breakeven point midday Monday, as losses in gold threatened to blot out gains in the health-care sector.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index had cooled off 0.46 points to greet noon at 16,125.57
The Canadian dollar dipped 0.06 cents to 75.98 cents.
The largest percentage gainer on the main index was Parex Resources, up $1.02, or 5.4%, to $19.94, while cannabis company Aphria rose $1.28, or 6.3% to $21.65, and was also among the biggest gainers.
Transcontinental fell 90 cents, or 3.3%, to $26.15, the most on the TSX, followed by Lundin Mining, down five cents to $6.39.
Gold stocks weighed on the market, as Barrick Gold gave back 23 cents, or 1.7%, to $13.05, while Goldcorp ducked back 14 cents, or 1%, to $13.40.
Among consumer staples, Loblaw surrendered 30 cents to $67.50. In the industrial sector, BRP lost 81 cents, or 1.1%, to $69.94.
Real-estate issues prospered, however, as Colliers International gained 24 cents to $103.25.
Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Friday she and her U.S. counterpart were making "very good progress" in talks to save the North American Free Trade Agreement amid increasing Canadian optimism that a deal could be reached, even if a conclusion did not appear imminent.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange ballooned 9.56 points, or 1.3%, however, to 721.62
The 12 subgroups were split down the middle, as health-care charged ahead 1.7%, while real-estate gained 0.3%, consumer discretionary picked up 0.2%
The half-dozen laggards were weighed most by gold, tailing 0.7%, while consumer staples and industrials each lost 0.2%.
ON WALLSTREET
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell off its highs of the morning, but remained positive 5.32 points to 25,921.86, after jumping more than 100 points earlier in the session. Nike and Home Depot outperformed, while UnitedHealth and Apple were among the laggards.
The S&P 500 regained 8.61 points to 2,880.29, led by real estate and industrials, while tech traded flat.
The NASDAQ strengthened 19.86 points to 7,922.41. Technology stocks dropped nearly 3% last week as investors grappled with the possibility of stronger regulation for social media companies.
Amazon was down 0.8% and Apple fell 1.9%. Amazon shares were also on track to post their first four-day losing streak since December 2017. Alphabet declined 0.1%, and Netflix declined 0.5%.
Tesla shares rose 4.1% after an analyst at Baird said investors should buy them "even with drama." The analyst cited the potential of Tesla's "Gigafactory" to give the company a competitive advantage long-term.
The Justice Department said last week Attorney General Jeff Sessions will meet with state attorneys general later in September to discuss worries surrounding tech companies that "may be hurting competition and intentionally stifling the free exchange of ideas on their platforms."
Prices for the benchmark for the 10-year U.S. Treasury stayed put, keeping yields at Friday’s 2.94%.
Oil prices eked up 15 cents to $67.90 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices grew two dollars to $1,202.40
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