Aug 18, 2025 (Baystreet.ca via COMTEX) --
Canada's main stock index inched lower on Monday as investors avoided big bets ahead of domestic inflation data due on Tuesday and a key U.S. central bank conference starting on Friday.
The TSX Composite Index faded 10.31 points to reach noon hour EDT at 27,895.18.
The Canadian dollar slipped 0.04 cents to 72.34 cents U.S.
On the macroeconomic page, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation reported the six-month trend in housing starts increased 3.7% to 263,088 units in July.
Elsewhere, Statistics Canada reported foreign investors added $709 million of Canadian securities to their holdings in June, the first investment since January.
Meanwhile, Canadian investors acquired $9 billion of foreign securities, led by purchases of U.S. shares and non-U.S. bonds.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange scaled back 0.48 points by noon hour Monday to 790.28,
The 12 TSX subgroups were evenly split as morning became afternoon, health-care settling 1.1%, materials down 0.8%, and gold dulling 0.7%.
The half-dozen gainers were led by consumer staples, up 1.1%, consumer discretionary stocks better by 0.6%, and information technology climbed 0.5%.
ON WALLSTREET
Stocks were little changed Monday as markets cooled off following a winning week and traders awaited key retail earnings plus Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's annual speech at the central bank's Jackson Hole summit.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average subtracted 27.09 points to 44,919.03.
The S&P 500 index sagged 4.86 points to 6,444.94.
The NASDAQ fell 26.19 points to 21,895.18.
Investors this week will parse through financial results from big-box retailers, including Home Depot, Lowe's, Walmart and Target, for clues about the health of the U.S. consumer. Concerns about elevated valuations, tariffs and moderating job growth remain top-of-mind for market participants heading into the back half of the year.
The Fed will also continue to be in focus this week as central bank members travel to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, for the annual economic policy symposium.
Investors will be monitoring the event for clues about the future path of rates. Fed funds futures are pricing in a nearly 85% likelihood that the central bank cuts rates at its next policy meeting in September
Prices for 10-year Treasury lost ground Thursday, raising yields to 4.34% from Friday's 4.32%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.
Oil prices gained 31 cents to $63.11 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices decreased $2.20 at $3,380.40 U.S. an ounce.
COMTEX_468131102/2559/2025-08-18T12:28:09
