Markets in Canada were modestly lower on Monday amid mixed commodity prices and a lack of direction from American markets, which were closed for the Memorial Day holiday.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index dipped 18.56 points to end the day at 14,086.67
The Canadian dollar slid 0.12 cents to 76.64 cents U.S.
In Canada, Barrick Gold Corp. lost 12 cents to $21.55 as raw-materials producers slipped as a group.
Suncor Energy gained nine cents to $35.99, after the oil-sands producer restarted operations near Fort McMurray. Operators in the area took offline more than one million barrels a day of output as wildfires devastated the region. Enbridge Inc. declined 62 cents, or 1.2%, to $52.16, as energy stocks fell.
Base metals took it on the chin Monday, as First Quantum Minerals doffed 12 cents, or 1.4%, to $8.80.
A small beacon of light was shone by consumer staples stocks, primarily George Weston, up 53 cents to $114.47, while supermarket Metro jumped 12 cents to $44.39.
On the economic front, Statistics Canada says its industrial product price index declined 0.5% in April, led by lower prices for motorized and recreational vehicles, while higher prices for energy and petroleum products helped moderate the fall.
The agency’s raw materials price index increased 0.7%, during the same month, led by higher prices for crude energy products.
Oil prices gained 27 cents a barrel to $49.60 U.S.
Gold prices were off $6.81 to $1,205.57 U.S. an ounce.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange added 1.88 points to 670.42.
Seven of the 13 TSX subgroups were higher, led by consumer staples, up 0.4%, while consumer discretionary issues increased 0.3%, and telecoms, up 0.2%.
The six laggards were weighed most by metals and mining, down 1.2%, energy, off 0.5%, and materials, down 0.4%
ON WALLSTREET
Markets in the United States were closed for Memorial Day
