Canada’s primary stock index trended lower on Tuesday, as a sharp retreat in the mining sector overshadowed a rally in technology. Investors largely shifted into profit-taking mode, locking in gains from recent surges in precious metals while bracing for high-stakes interest rate announcements from both the Bank of Canada and the U.S. Federal Reserve later this week.
By mid-morning, the S&P/TSX Composite Index sat at 32,886.36, representing a decline of 0.63%.
Sector Performance: Profit-Taking in Materials
The day’s downward pressure was felt most acutely in the gold and materials sectors. After a three-day rally driven by record-breaking metal prices, investors moved to monetize their positions, resulting in a 3.3% drop for the gold-focused index.
- Materials Index: Down 2.6%, marking its sharpest single-day decline in nearly a month.
- Consumer Staples: Slumped 1.7%, largely due to a 5.3% slide in Metro Inc. (MRU.TO) following a slight miss on first-quarter profit estimates.
- Energy: Bucked the trend with a 0.3% gain. This rise was fueled by advancing crude prices as a winter storm disrupted production and refining operations along the Gulf Coast.
Corporate Highlights: Tech Resilience and Telecom Shifts
While the broader market struggled, the information technology sector provided a bright spot, climbing 1.0%.
- Celestica (CLS.TO): The electronics manufacturing giant saw its stock jump 7.9%. The gain comes amid heightened optimism for the hardware infrastructure supporting the global AI build-out.
- Cogeco Communications (CCA.TO): The telecom firm fell 6.4% after news broke that the investment fund La Caisse intended to divest a portion of its stake in the company.
Analysts noted that the market’s focus is shifting toward “AI spend” as tech giants Microsoft and Meta prepare to report earnings. Any indication of a cooling in artificial intelligence investment could potentially weigh on the broader tech landscape.
Macro Outlook: Central Banks on Hold
Market participants are looking ahead to Wednesday for guidance from central bankers. The prevailing sentiment suggests a period of stability in lending rates:
- Bank of Canada: Economists widely expect the policy rate to remain steady at 2.25%.
- U.S. Federal Reserve: The American central bank is also forecasted to keep its current rates unchanged.
RELATED LINK: India Pivots Diesel Exports to West Africa Amid EU Ban
