Canada Stocks: Toronto stocks fall as global mood sours again

Spartan Delta

20/08/2026 16:17

Energy shares climb as oil gains
US may cut key tariffs as part of proposed Canada deal, source says
Canada producer prices up 0.6% in July
By Sudeshna Ghoshal
Aug 20 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index edged lower on Thursday, mirroring a downbeat mood across global markets as investors questioned whether the U.S. Treasury's intervention would be enough to calm the bond market.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index .GSPTSE was down 0.3% by 10:36 a.m. ET.
Healthcare stocks .GSPTTHC and consumer discretionary shares .GSPTTCD shed 1.3% and 1.2%, respectively, leading sectoral declines. 
Energy shares .SPTTEN added 1.6%, as oil prices hit a three-week high, with concerns over global crude supplies persisting amid an Iran war impasse.O/R
Concerns about higher energy prices tied to the Iran crisis have battered bond and stock markets this week. The U.S. Treasury's surprise buyback plan briefly curbed a global rise in long-term borrowing costs, but persistent inflation and debt worries pushed longer-dated U.S. yields higher again on Thursday.
"There's a bit of a panic in the market that they're starting to put some unorthodox plans in. When you see the Treasury do this, that means something's not perfect in the market," said Greg Taylor, chief investment officer at PenderFund Capital Management. 
Mining shares .GSPTTMT added 0.5%, but offered limited support to the main index.
Investors also weighed U.S.-Canada trade talks, with the two neighbours closing in on a deal that could see Washington cut tariff rates on Canadian-built cars, trucks, and key metals, a source familiar with the matter said Wednesday.
Canada's minister in charge of U.S. trade ties, Dominic LeBlanc, is set to meet U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer at 1215 EDT (1615 GMT).
In economic data, producer prices were up 0.6% in July on a month-over-month basis, lifted by higher prices for energy and petroleum products, Statistics Canada said.

 (Reporting by Sudeshna Ghoshal in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)
 ((Sudeshna.Ghoshal@thomsonreuters.com;))