Stocks finish red

Equities in Toronto descended into the red Monday, as strength in the health-care sector was more than counteracted by weakness in resource concerns.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index moved lower 33.18 points to close Monday at 16,057.09

The Canadian dollar dipped 0.07 cents to 75.97 cents.

The largest percentage gainer on the main index was Parex Resources, up 86 cents, or 4.6%, to $19.77, while cannabis company Aphria rose $1.33, or 6.5%, to $21.71, and was also among the biggest gainers.

Elsewhere in health-care, Canopy Growth took on $1.26, or 1.9%, to $69.02.

In consumer discretionary stocks, Magna International climbed 75 cents, or 1.17%, to $69.44, while Gildan Activewear gained 67 cents, or 1.8%, to $38.76.

Real-estate issues were also ahead, with Brookfield Asset Management eking up three cents to $56.02.

Gold stocks weighed on the market, as Barrick Gold gave back 42 cents, or 3.2%, to $12.86, while Goldcorp ducked back 25 cents, or 1.9%, to $13.29.

Also among losing stocks in the materials field, Lundin Mining was down a cent to $6.43, while Agnico Eagle Mines faded 19 cents to $43.54.

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 grew 6.68 points to 718.74

Eight of the 12 subgroups were positive, with health-care soaring 1.6%, while consumer discretionary stocks heightened 0.7%, and real-estate strengthened 0.5%.

The four laggards were weighed most by gold, off 1.6%, energy, sputtering 0.9%, and materials, down 0.8%.

ON WALLSTREET

The S&P 500 and NASDAQ Composite rose slightly on Monday, snapping a four-day losing streak, as tech shares tried to regain some of the steep losses from last week.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 59.47 points to 25,857.07, as Apple lost more than 1%.

The S&P 500 stayed afloat 5.45 points to 2,877.13, led by utilities and industrials, while tech shares rose 0.3%

The NASDAQ strengthened 21.62 points to 7,924.16, as Facebook shares rose 0.7% and Microsoft gained 1%.

Amazon and Apple both fell. Amazon declined 0.7%, posting its four-day losing streak since December 2017. Apple dropped 1.3% after President Donald Trump pressured the company to make its products in the U.S.

Tesla shares rose 8.5% 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 dropped 20 cents to $67.55 U.S. a barrel.

Gold prices added 30 cents to $1,200.70


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