The S&P/TSX Composite Index fell on Friday as losses across most sectors were led by battery metals that outweighed gains in energy markets, while investors monitored escalating tensions in the Middle East and higher oil prices.
The index closed down 76.30 points, or 0.22%, at 35,263.85, with the majority of sectors closing lower. Energy led gainers, up 1.91%, while Battery Metals Index led decliners, down 4.51%.
In commodities, gold traded higher at last look on Friday, rebounding from early lows as the dollar held steady and Treasury yields were mixed. This came even as oil prices moved higher following renewed fighting between Iran and the US that revived inflation concerns.
The precious metal for August delivery was last seen up 0.67% to $4,018.80 after touching the lowest level since Nov. 6.
Meanwhile, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil closed at a five-week high on Friday as fresh fighting between the US and Iran kept the Strait of Hormuz closed. WTI crude oil for August delivery closed up 4.5% to settle at $82.49 per barrel, the highest since June 12, while September Brent crude was last seen up 4.4% to $87.96.
The gains followed reports that US forces struck bridges around Iran's port city of Bandar Abbas, according to The Wall Street Journal. Iran responded with attacks on neighboring countries and strikes on ships in the Persian Gulf.
In currencies, the Canadian dollar has been one of the strongest major currencies this week, as it started to recover from technically oversold levels. Traders now expected the Canadian dollar to strengthen enough that the US dollar could fall toward C$1.40, Corpay said in a report released on Friday.
Next week's inflation data release is unlikely to change the loonie's outlook materially, given that its direction has not been set by shifts in Canadian monetary policy expectations for some time, and that a soft inflation print will do little to alter the rate differentials that matter, wrote Corpay Chief Market Strategist Karl Schamotta in a note.
Separately, Statistics Canada data showed international securities transactions resulted in a C$14.4 billion net outflow of funds from the Canadian economy in May, marking the first net outflow since February.
The turnaround followed a sizable inflow in April, as weaker international purchases of Canadian securities coincided with increased investment by Canadians in overseas assets, wrote StatsCan in a statement.
International investors purchased C$7.9 billion of Canadian securities in May, extending the investment streak to five consecutive months. Inflows were driven primarily by Canadian bonds (C$18 billion) and money market instruments (C$6 billion), while a C$16.1 billion reduction in holdings of Canadian equities partially offset the overall gains.
Turning to automobiles, Bank of Montreal Capital Markets said Canada's zero-emission vehicle market remained resilient in May, with sales up nearly 20% from a year earlier despite signs of slowing growth. The bank contrasted that with the US, where its ZEV sales declined about 18% year over year following the expiration of federal tax credits.
Additionally, BMO noted that the key trend in the Canadian housing market continues to be the widening divergence between rental and ownership construction.
Across Canada's major census metropolitan areas, combined condominium and ownership housing starts have fallen to their lowest level since the 2009 recession, added the bank. In contrast, rental housing starts continued to hover near record highs, wrote BMO Senior Economist Robert Kavcic in a note after the release of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's data on Thursday.