Canada's main stock index fell on Wednesday in a broader decline, after mixed U.S. inflation data reduced hopes for a mighty 50-basis points rate cut in the United States next week.
The TSX Composite Index was in the minus column 56.26 points Wednesday noon to 22,946.83.
The Canadian dollar eked up 0.07 cents to 73.54 cents U.S.
Suntory Holdings CEO Takeshi Niinami said in a Reuters NEXT Newsmaker interview that Seven & i responded fairly by rejecting Alimentation Couche-Tard's $39-billion U.S. takeover bid. Couche-Tard shares lost 45 cents to $76.39.
Dollarama rose $7.10, or 5.7%, to $132.38, after its second-quarter profit beat.
The most heavily traded shares by volume were Canadian Natural Resources Ltd, Pembina Pipeline Corp and Canadian National Railway Co.
Natural Resources shares docked six cents to $43.75, while Pembina fell 42 cents to $54.82, and CNR shed $2.79, or 1.8%, to $154.86.
Meanwhile, global markets also reacted to the U.S. presidential debate on Tuesday, where Democrat Kamala Harris put Republican Donald Trump on the defensive.
The debate also perked up the odds of Harris' victory in the upcoming presidential elections in eight weeks.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange gained 4.18 points to 557.08.
All but three of the 12 TSX subgroups were lower, with gold and communications each off 0.9%, while real-estate backed off 0.6%,
The three gainers were consumer discretionary stocks, up 2%, while information technology grabbed 0.2%, and utilities crept up 0.04%.
ON WALLSTREET
Stocks sold off Wednesday as fresh U.S. inflation data dented traders’ hopes of a large Federal Reserve rate cut later next week.
The Dow Jones Industrial index plunged 437.53 points, or 1.1%, at 40,299.43.
The S&P 500 sagged 40.17 points to 5,455.35.
The NASDAQ dropped 31.48 points to 16,994.40.
UnitedHealth Group, Travelers and Amgen dragged the Dow lower. Bank stocks also continued to weigh on the broader market, with JPMorgan Chase shares down nearly 1% after the company gave cautious commentary on Tuesday regarding the firm’s net interest income in 2025.
The consumer price index report released Wednesday reflected a 0.2% increase in prices last month, with the annual inflation rate coming in at 2.5% — its lowest level since February 2021. The CPI was expected to increase 0.2% in the previous month and 2.6% from a year ago, according to the Dow Jones consensus estimate.
Month over month core CPI — which does not include volatile food and energy prices — came out slightly hotter-than-expected, however.
Investors are still betting on a widely anticipated interest rate cut at the Federal Reserve’s Sept. 17-18 meeting. Traders priced in an 85% chance that the Federal Open Market Committee will approve a 25-basis-point interest rate reduction, according to the CME Group’s FedWatch measure.
The new data comes as investors grapple with seasonal headwinds. September has been the worst month for the S&P 500 over the last 10 years, averaging a loss of more than 1% during that time. The broad-market index has also posted a loss in September in the last four years.
Prices for the 10-year Treasury sagged, bringing yields back up to Tuesday’s 3.65%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices gained $1.12 to $66.87 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices slipped 70 cents to $2,542.40.
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