TSX Closer: Index Drops Amid Commodity Weakness
The Toronto Stock Exchange closed lower on Wednesday, falling for a second day as a sharp decline in oil prices and weakness in commodity-linked sectors weighed on sentiment.The S&P/TSX Composite Index closed down 191.29 points, or 0.55%, to 34,736.09, with gains in some sectors offset by losses in others.Information and Technology led gainers, up 3.2%, with Industrials, Utilities, and Health Care, up 0.79%, 0.50%, and 2.18%, respectively. Battery Metals Index led decliners, down 6.02%, with Telecom, down 0.72%, Base Metals, down 3.97%, Energy, down 3.23%, and Financial, down 0.36%.In commodities, gold traded at a seven-month low on Wednesday as the dollar continued to strengthen on expectations the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates this year to slow rising inflation.Gold for August delivery was last seen down 3.2% to US$4,032.90 per ounce, the lowest since early November. The price of the precious metal has dropped 4.9% in the week since the Fed's policy committee ended its two-day meeting leaving interest rates unchanged but warned rates might rise this year as inflation continues climb on higher energy costs.Meanwhile, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil fell for a fourth straight session on Wednesday as tankers trapped in the Persian Gulf due to the U.S-Iran war continued to move through the Strait of Hormuz. WTI crude oil for August delivery closed 4.9% lower to settle at US$70.34 per barrel, the lowest since Feb. 27, while August Brent oil was last seen down 4.4% to US$73.71.In other economic news, fresh reports on Canada's housing market pointed to ongoing affordability challenges for prospective homebuyers. Demand from prospective first-time home buyers remains very weak, with affordability constraints and barriers to down payments keeping many out of the market, Rosenberg Research said.More than half of non-homeowners in Canada have no plans to buy in the next 12 months, noted Rosenberg, citing a poll reported by the National Post. Housing affordability is about 20% weaker than its long-term average, most notably for younger buyers, implying further downward pressure on prices unless policy becomes more supportive, said Rosenberg in a note.However, homes priced under C$500,000 are becoming more common as Ontario's housing market cools, according to data from the Municipal Property Assessment Corp. (MPAC) published on Wednesday.Properties valued below C$500,000 account for nearly 24% of homes in 2026, up from 17% in 2022, though still far below the 67% share seen in 2016, said MPAC, which defines itself as an independent, not-for-profit corporation funded by all Ontario municipalities, accountable to the Province, municipalities, and property taxpayers.The Ontario market has shifted toward improved balance, with fewer homes above C$1 million and a majority now below C$750,000, added MPAC.Additionally, preliminary data from Statistics Canada indicated on Wednesday that total manufacturing sales gained 1.1% in May, with the motor vehicles and chemicals posting the largest expansion. If May's advance estimate is confirmed in final numbers, it would be the fourth month in a row of increases in manufacturing sales.A separate report focused on the budgetary implications of Canada's aging population and retirement programs.An aging population and rising fiscal strains are prompting Canada to rethink established policy models, with retirement support at the forefront of the debate, Scotiabank Economics said on Wednesday. With almost one in five Canadians now over 65, population aging is set to drive rising public expenditures, the bank wrote. At the center of the issue is Old Age Security (OAS), accounting for close to 60% of direct federal transfers to households and forecast to reach $100 billion annually by the end of the decade."Canada is rapidly aging," wrote Rebekah Young, Vice-President of Economic Policy, in the note. "The next phase of aging will look very different -- and cost much more -- than the one the country is experiencing now."
