TSX Finishes Flat

Equities in Canada’s largest centre barely held onto gains by the close on Tuesday, supported mostly by health-care and cannabis issues.

The TSX retained 2.42 points in gains to end Tuesday at 19,203.70.

The Canadian dollar was higher 0.21 cents at 79.81 cents U.S.

In the cannabis sector, Aphria towered over Monday’s close, gaining $1.05, or 6%, to $18.52, while OrganiGram Holdings jumped 10 cents, or 2.9%, to $3.60.

In gold, NovaGold sprinted 76 cents, or 3.1%, to $11.83, while Alamos Gold climbed 50 cents, or 5%, to $10.61.

In other resources, Lundin Mining added 55 cents, or 4.2%, to $13.75, while Endeavour Silver triumphed 33 cents, or 5.1%, to $6.84.

Among energy stocks, MEG Energy dropped 11 cents, or 1.6%, to $6.22, while Crescent Point Energy lost eight cents, or 1.7%, to $4.78.

In the financial field, Canaccord Genuity went south 27 cents, or 2.2%, to $11.83, while Bank of Montreal lost $1.76, or 1.5%, to $113.96.

Among industrial plays, GFL Environmental docked $1.89, or 4.3%, to $42.22, while NFI Group ditched 77 cents, or 2.7%, to $28.25.

ON BAYSTREET

The TSX Venture Exchange weakened 8.4 points to 933.01.

Eight of the 12 TSX subgroups finished Tuesday positive, with health-care gaining 1.5%, gold brighter by 1.2%, and materials improving 0.8%.

The four laggards were weighed most by energy, down 0.9%, while financials and industrials each gave back 0.6%.

ON WALLSTREET

U.S. stocks traded mostly higher on Tuesday after a March inflation report turned out not as bad as some traders feared, but the impact of a halt to the rollout of Johnson & Johnson vaccine kept optimism in check.

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The Dow Jones Industrials sank 68.13 points to end the session at 33,677.27, after dropping more than 150 points earlier in the session.

The S&P 500 regained 13.6 points to 4,133.49, to reach a new all-time high.

The NASDAQ Composite jumped 146.1 points, or 1.1%, to 13,996.10, as Apple and PayPal each added more than 2%. Semiconductor maker Nvidia climbed 3%, Tesla rose 8.6%.

Re-opening trades came under pressure Tuesday morning after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it’s recommending a pause in the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine after reported cases of blood clotting.

Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said later Tuesday that she expects the pause to last “a matter of days.” More than 6.8 million doses of the J&J vaccine have been administered in the U.S. J&J shares fell 2.4%.

Still, shares of companies that would be hurt the most if the vaccine rollout slows underperformed Tuesday.

Alaska Air and American Airlines both lost 1.5%; car-rental company Avis Budget shed nearly 1%. Shares of Moderna, which makes another coronavirus vaccine, jumped 7.4% following the J&J news, which was reported first by The New York Times.

Corporate news is set to pick up later in the week, with JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs and Delta Air Lines among the companies set to report quarterly results.

The consumer price index, one of Wall Street’s most-popular inflation gauges, rose 0.6% in March and increased 2.6% from the same period a year ago. Economists polled by Dow Jones were projecting the headline index to rise by 0.5% month over month and 2.5% year over year.

Prices for 10-Year Treasurys gained ground, dropping yields to 1.62% from Monday’s 1.67%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.

Oil prices acquired 72 cents to $60.42 U.S. a barrel.

Gold picked up $13.10 to $1,745.80 U.S. an ounce.