TSX opens lower on dip in gold prices

Canada's main stock index fell on Monday as lower gold prices more than offset the boost from a jump in crude prices, while investors geared up for the quarterly corporate earnings season.

At 9:39 a.m. ET (1339 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was down 34.4 points, or 0.18%, at 19,193.63.

Canada's Bank of Montreal said on Monday it had entered into an agreement with Ameriprise Financial Inc to sell its EMEA asset management business for about C$1.1 billion ($870 million) in an all-cash transaction.

The energy sector climbed 1.1% with US crude prices rising 1.8% a barrel, while Brent crude added 1.6%.

The financials sector slipped 0.1%, while the industrials sector fell 0.4%.

The materials sector, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, lost 0.5% as gold futures fell 0.4% to $1,736.3 an ounce amid higher US Treasury yields that dented the appeal of bullion.

On the TSX, 93 issues were higher, while 128 issues declined for a 1.38-to-1 ratio to the downside, with 14.64 million shares traded.

The largest percentage gainers on the TSX were Corus Entertainment Inc, rising 2.9%, and Vermilion Energy , which gained 2.5%.

Aphria Inc sank 12.4%, the most on the TSX, after the company reported a third-quarter loss due to a coronavirus-induced slump in demand and one-time costs related to its deal for alcoholic beverages maker SweetWater.

The second-biggest decliner was Aurora Cannabis, down 5.6%.

The most heavily traded shares by volume were Toronto-Dominion Bank, Supreme Cannabis Co Inc and Zenabis Global Inc.

The TSX posted six new 52-week highs and no new low.

Across all Canadian issues, there were 93 new 52-week highs and no new low, with total volume of 32.20 million shares.