Stocks Descend by Noon Monday

Equity markets in Toronto slumped to a three-month low on Monday, tracking losses in global equities on growing tensions between Russia and Ukraine and ahead of major central bank meetings this week.

The S&P/TSX Composite tumbled 507.42 points, or 2.5%, to break for lunch Monday at 20,113.97.

The Canadian dollar slumped 0.65 cents at 78.95 cents U.S.

Health-care stocks proved the heaviest anchor on the market, weighed most by Aurora Cannabis, sinking 51 cents, or 9.1%, to $5.08, while Tilray slid 62 cents, or 8.5%, to $6.66.

Among energy stocks, Tourmaline Oil declined $2.93, or 6.5%, to $42.32, while Paramount Resources gave back $1.54, or 6.3%, to $22.87.

Tech stocks took body blows, too, as HUT 8 Mining shrank 73 cents, or 10.8%, to $6.04, while Lightspeed POS fell $3.61, or 9.6%, to $34.14.

A convoy of truckers started their march from Vancouver on Sunday to Ottawa protesting the government's COVID-19 vaccine mandate for truckers, which the industry says would create driver shortages and fuel inflation.

ON BAYSTREET

The TSX Venture Exchange wilted 45.6 points, or 5.3%, by noon hour to 811.02.

All 12 TSX subgroups stayed lower, with health-care swooning 5.5%, energy worse off 3.9%, information technology clicking lower 3.6%.

ON WALLSTREET

U.S. stocks fell Monday following the S&P 500's worst week since March 2020, as investors awaited more corporate earnings results and a key policy decision from the Federal Reserve.

The Dow Jones Industrials thundered lower 778.84 points, or 2.3%, to 33,486.53, falling for a seventh straight day.

The S&P 500 sank 125.47 points, or 2.9%, to 4,271.47.

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The NASDAQ let go of 495.89 points, or 3.6%, Monday to 13,273.04, falling deeper into correction territory.

The market action Monday followed a brutal week on Wall Street in the face of mixed company earnings and worries about rising interest rates.

Monday’s pullback put the S&P 500 down more than 9% this month, on pace for its worst monthly decline since March 2020 and worst January performance ever.

The Dow was also headed for its biggest one-month loss since March 2020, falling more than 7%. The NASDAQ, meanwhile, has dropped roughly 14% in January and is on pace for its worst month since October 2008 — when it plunged 17.7%.

Investors are anticipating a slew of high-stakes earnings reports from mega-cap tech companies this week. Microsoft fell 4%, Apple lost 2.7% and Tesla pulled back 6.6% ahead of the quarterly reports.

Peloton shares rebounded 1.3% following news that activist investor Blackwells is calling for the interactive fitness company to fire CEO John Foley and to seek a buyer.

Investors are eyeing the Fed’s policy meeting, which wraps up on Wednesday. Market participants will be looking for any signals on how much the central bank will raise interest rates this year and when it will start.

The Federal Open Market Committee, which sets interest rates, meets with expectations that it won’t act at this meeting but will tee up the first of multiple rate hikes starting in March. In addition, the Fed is expected to wrap up its monthly asset purchase program that same month.

Prices for 10-year Treasurys leaped, lowering yields to 1.72% from Friday’s 1.76%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.

Oil prices slid $2.32 to $82.82 U.S. a barrel.

Gold prices added $1.90 to $1,833.70 U.S. an ounce.