Canadian equities finished the trading day in the red on Friday, with weakness concentrated in the Materials, Healthcare and Consumer Discretionary sectors, driving the S&P/TSX Composite to a 1.27% decline at the close in Toronto.
On an individual basis, Bird Construction Inc. (TSX:BDT) posted the largest gain among S&P/TSX Composite names, rising 14.21% - a move of 7.26 points - to finish at 58.35. Strathcona Resources Ltd (TSX:SCR) climbed 6.92% or 3.14 points to end at 48.49, while Stantec Inc (TSX:STN) increased 6.49%, a 6.48 point rise, to close at 106.39.
The heaviest losses were concentrated in a mix of resources and healthcare-related names. Curaleaf Holdings Inc (TSX:CURA) fell 13.15% or 0.71 points to 4.69 by the close. Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. (TSX:WDO) declined 11.42%, slipping 3.50 points to 27.14, and Taseko Mines Ltd (TSX:TKO) dropped 9.90% or 1.04 points to 9.46.
Market breadth on the Toronto Stock Exchange favored decliners, with 636 stocks down versus 351 advancers and 67 issues finishing unchanged.
Two notable technical milestones were recorded during the session: shares of Bird Construction reached all-time highs as they climbed 14.21% to 58.35, and Strathcona Resources moved to three-year highs after a 6.92% advance to 48.49.
Volatility measures were slightly firmer, with the S&P/TSX 60 VIX, which tracks implied volatility for S&P/TSX Composite options, rising 1.77% to 15.50.
Commodity markets showed divergent moves. June Gold Futures were lower, down 2.94% or 137.55 to $4,547.75 a troy ounce. In energy markets, crude oil for June delivery gained 4.53% or 4.58 to $105.75 a barrel, and the July Brent contract rose 3.46% or 3.66 to trade at $109.38 a barrel.
In foreign exchange trading, the Canadian dollar was little changed against major currencies: CAD/USD moved 0.26% to 0.73 and CAD/EUR shifted 0.16% to 0.63. The US Dollar Index Futures firmed, rising 0.50% to 99.22.
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