CANADA STOCKS-Bank stocks, dismal retail sales data drive TSX lower

  • 3/19/2021
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(Updates prices, adds sector details) March 19 (Reuters) - Canada’s main stock index fell on Friday, pressured by weakness in energy and bank stocks, while data showed domestic retail sales fell in January further denting sentiment. * The energy sector dropped 0.8% as a new wave of coronavirus infections across Europe triggered fresh lockdowns, while the financials sector slipped 0.7%. * Domestic retail sales fell 1.1% to C$52.55 billion ($42.07 billion) in January compared with the previous month, as provincial governments began re-introducing health restrictions to combat a resurgence in coronavirus cases, Statistics Canada said. * At 9:41 a.m. ET (13:41 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index was down 65.17 points, or 0.35%, at 18,771.3. * Miner Teck Resources Ltd fell 3.4%, the most on the TSX, followed by fuel-cell products maker Ballard Power Systems Inc, down 3.1%. * On the TSX, 85 issues advanced, while 127 issues declined in a 1.49-to-1 ratio favoring decliners, with 173.81 million shares traded. * The largest percentage gainers on the TSX were gold miners Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd and NovaGold Resources Inc. , both up 2.4%. * The most heavily traded shares by volume were Toronto-Dominion Bank, Enbridge Inc, and Canadian Natural Resources Limited. * The TSX posted no new 52-week high or low. * Across Canadian issues, there were 15 new 52-week highs and two new lows, with total volume of 197.52 million shares. (Reporting by Amal S in Bengaluru; Editing by Vinay Dwivedi)

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