TSX falls to two-week low as gold mining shares slide

Kitco Media
By Reuters
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Reuters
TSX falls to two-week low as gold mining shares slide teaser image

May 19 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index ‌fell to a two-week low on Tuesday as worries about the inflationary impact of higher oil prices boosted long-term borrowing costs, with gold mining and consumer discretionary shares among the biggest ​decliners.

The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index (.GSPTSE), ended down 92.11 points, ​or 0.3%, at 33,741.24, marking its lowest closing level since May 5.

Wall ⁠Street's main indexes posted steeper losses as the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield climbed ​to its highest level in more than a year.

"The fact that oil remains expensive ​I think is a main factor and the inflationary expectations of people are going higher," said Michael Sprung, president at Treegrove Investment Management.

"We almost have a situation where the global developed ​economies are somewhat diverging from the financial markets because the financial markets overall ​have been hanging in pretty well at fairly rich valuations."

Canada's consumer price index increased at ‌an annual ⁠rate of 2.8% in April, up from 2.4% in March, driven largely by a surge in gasoline prices after the Iran war pushed global oil prices sharply higher.

Underlying price pressures slowed, however, which helped cool bets on Bank of Canada ​interest rate hikes.

The materials ​group (.GSPTTMT), which includes ⁠metal mining shares, fell 3.9% as gold and copper prices declined.

Barrick Mining (ABX.TO), has increased Ebola precautions at its Kibali gold ​mine in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a spokesperson told ​Reuters. The ⁠gold miner's shares were down 2.8%.

The consumer discretionary sector (.GSPTTCD), lost 1.3%, with shares of clothing retailer Aritzia Inc (ATZ.TO), ending 3.8% lower.

Gains for energy (.SPTTEN), capped the TSX's losses, with ⁠the ​sector adding 2.3%. Oil settled down 0.8% at $107.77 ​a barrel but remained near the top of its range this month.

Reporting by Fergal Smith in Toronto ​and Tharuniyaa Lakshmi in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel, Sahal Muhammed and Deepa Babington

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