Toronto Stocks Finish Week Down

The TSX Composite Index shaved off 49.47 points, to end Friday at 19,541.27. On the week, the index lost 238 points, or 1.2%.

The Canadian dollar skidded 0.49 cents at 73.63 cents U.S.

The benchmark index is on track to mark its worst quarter since June 2022 while also clocking its worst month since May.

Tech shares led gaining groups, with Sylogisz Ltd. up 38 cents, or 5.4%, to $7.47, while Tecsys hiked $2.03, or 8%, to $27.35.

Health-care shares were next in the derby, with Tilray better by a dime, or 3.2%, to $3.26, while Chartwell Retirement Residences improved 12 cents, or 1.2%, to $10.33.

Consumer discretionary shares gained on a jump of $1.39, or 6.2%, in Aritzia Inc shares to $23.71, after the apparel design house beat quarterly result estimates. Elsewhere in the sector, BRP Inc. grabbed $2.09, or 2.1%, to $102.91.

Consumer staples let much of the side down, as Alimentation Couche-Tard shed $2.14, or 3%, to $69.18, while Jamieson Wellness skidded 36 cents, or 1.5%, to $24.44.

In energy plays, Pason Systems declined 41 cents, or 2.9%, to $13.54, while Secure Energy Systems dipped 19 cents, or to $7.46.

In utilities, Brookfield Renewable Partners dropped $1.17, or 3.8%, to $29.56, while Algonquin Power & Utilities let go of 17 cents, or 2.1%, to $8.00.

On the economic slate, Statistics Canada reported July GDP numbers were essentially unchanged, as services-producing industries edged up 0.1%, while goods-producing industries contracted 0.3%.

ON BAYSTREET

The TSX Venture Exchange recovered 1.98 points to 558.88. On the week, the index lost 11 points, or 1.97%.

Seven of the 12 TSX subgroups were higher, with information technology stocks rising 1.5%, health-care haler 1.1%, and consumer discretionary stocks, up 0.5%.

The five laggards were weighed most by consumer staples and energy, each down 0.9%, and utilities, slumping 0.8%.

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ON WALLSTREET

The Dow Jones Industrial Average retreated on Friday as investors followed the latest news about a potential government shutdown and looked to the end of what has been a tough month.

The 30-stock index dived into the red 158.84 points to close the day, week, month and quarter at 33,507.50, led down by Travelers Companies and Walmart.

The S&P 500 index lost 11.65 points to 4,288.05.

The NASDAQ index edged higher 18.05 points to 13,219.32.

The Dow declined 1.3% on the week and S&P 500 ended the week down 0.7%. The NASDAQ ended 0.06% higher.

Friday’s personal consumption expenditures price index reading, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation metric, helped perk up the market.

So-called core PCE, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, rose 0.1% in August and 3.9% year over year. Economists polled by Dow Jones expected that the core PCE would advance 0.2% monthly and 3.9% year over year.

Prices for the 10-year Treasury took on some strength, lowering yields to Thursday’s 4.58%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.

Oil prices sank 82 cents to $90.89 U.S. a barrel.

Gold prices faded $14.30 to $1,864.30.