Canada’s main stock index was subdued at open on Thursday as gains in materials shares were offset by losses in healthcare shares, while investors assessed US economic data and awaited Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell’s remarks later in the day.

Toronto stocks slip at open as commodity stocks weigh

At 9:31 a.m. ET (1331 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index was down 3.48 points, or 0.02%, at 19,432.5.