Canadian Market Slightly Lower In Cautious Trade

(RTTNews) - After three successive days of gains, the Canadian market is exhibiting weakness on Friday and looks set to end the day's session on a negative note.

Communications, industrials and materials stocks are the major losers. Technology stocks are finding some support, while shares from the rest of the sectors are mostly subdued.

The benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index was down 30.90 points or 0.12% at 24,696.63 a little while ago.

Novagold is down more than 10%. TFI International is declining 5.6% and WSP Global is down by about 4.1%.

Badger Infrastructure Solutions, New Gold, BCE, Eldorado Gold, AtkinsRealis, Finning International, Cargojet, Endeavour Mining, Iamgold, Barrick Gold Corp, Air Canada, Equinox Gold and Quebecor are down 1.6 to 2.5%.

Canopy Growth Corporation, Mattr Corp, Aurora Cannabis, Organigram Holdings and Shopify are gaining 3 to 4.5%.

Spin Master Corp., Kelt Exploration, TransAlta, Vermilion Energy and H&R Real Estate are gaining 2 to 2.5%.

Data released by Statistics Canada showed that retail sales in Canada increased 0.7% in March over the previous month.

Retail Sales in Canada increased 4.7% in February over the same month in the previous year.

Manufacturing sales in Canada decreased to -1.9% percent in March from 0.2% in February, according to preliminary estimates.