29.01.202621:11:38UTC+00TSX Retreats After Fresh Records

The S&P/TSX Composite Index decreased by 0.5% to finish at 33,016 on Thursday. Earlier in the day, it had ventured into new record highs before succumbing to a global selloff in technology and a sharp slump in precious metals. The downturn in mining stocks was significant, with declines in gold and silver prices pulling down key players such as Agnico Eagle, Barrick, Wheaton Precious Metals, and Franco-Nevada by 2.3% to 4%. The information technology sector also saw considerable losses, influenced by the substantial drops in US tech giants. This was highlighted by Celestica’s 13.5% drop after a significant rise, despite revising its full-year revenue forecasts upwards. The overall decline was somewhat mitigated by strength in the energy sector, buoyed by higher oil prices driven by geopolitical concerns, as well as selective gains within the financial and telecommunications sectors. Compounding these challenges, domestic economic data revealed a notable widening of Canada's trade deficit in November, attributed to a decrease in exports, which underscored a weaker external economic environment.