Canada's main stock index fell on Friday as weaker crude oil prices weighed on energy stocks, putting the benchmark index on course for its biggest weekly drop since early December.
At 9:35 a.m. ET, the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was down 141.11 points, or 0.67%, at 20,917.07. It hit a more than two-week low in the previous session.
The index has lost 2.4% so far this week, hurt by higher bond yields as expectations build that central banks will hike interest rates over the coming months to tame unruly inflation.
The healthcare and technology sectors have dominated the weekly losses, dropping 7.4% and 4.5%, respectively.
Toronto index gains tracking Wall Street, tech stocks boost
On Friday, the energy sector led the declines with a fall of 1.9% as an unexpected rise in US crude and fuel inventories profit-booking pressured crude oil prices.
The financials sector slipped 0.8%, while the industrials sector fell 0.5%.
The materials sector, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, lost 0.4% on weaker copper prices.
On the economic front, data showed Canadian retail sales rose 0.7% to C$58.08 billion ($46.40 billion) in November on higher sales at gasoline stations, and building materials and gardening equipment and supplies dealers.
"Canadian retail sales for November grew less than expected, while new house price inflation plateaued at a high level, another sign of stagflation in the North American economy," said Colin Cieszynski, chief market strategist at SIA Wealth Management.
Highlights
The TSX posted one new 52-week highs and 10 new lows.
Across all Canadian issues there were two new 52-week highs and 55 new lows, with total volume of 32.05 million shares.
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