Toronto equity markets ended the trading day lower, with losses concentrated in Materials, Healthcare and IT stocks that pushed the S&P/TSX Composite down 1.69% to a fresh three-month low.
On the close, Orla Mining Ltd (TSX:OLA) was the session's top gainer on the composite, advancing 4.50% or 0.83 points to finish at 19.29. Secure Energy Services Inc. (TSX:SES) added 3.65% or 0.78 points to end the session at 22.14, and Maple Leaf Foods Inc. (TSX:MFI) rose 2.37% or 0.68 points to close at 29.35.
At the other end of the spectrum, Lithium Americas Corp (TSX:LAC) led decliners with a 7.59% drop, down 0.42 points to 5.11 at the close. Vizsla Silver Corp (TSX:VZLA) fell 6.85% or 0.30 points to end at 4.08, while B2Gold Corp (TSX:BTO) declined 6.75% or 0.39 points to 5.39.
Market breadth on the Toronto Stock Exchange was tilted toward losers, with 773 stocks falling versus 206 that advanced, and 74 issues finishing unchanged.
Secure Energy Services Inc. (TSX:SES) reached a notable milestone during the session, trading up 3.65% or 0.78 to 22.14 and marking a five-year high for the stock.
Volatility indicators moved higher: the S&P/TSX 60 VIX, which measures implied volatility for options on the S&P/TSX Composite, climbed 2.44% to 20.14.
Commodities displayed mixed moves. Gold Futures for April delivery was down 2.17% or 100.04 to $4,505.66 a troy ounce. Energy contracts showed strength, with Crude oil for delivery in May rising 2.43% or 2.32 to $97.87 a barrel, and the May Brent oil contract increasing 3.24% or 3.52 to trade at $112.17 a barrel.
Currency pairs were relatively stable: CAD/USD was unchanged 0.12% to 0.73, while CAD/EUR was unchanged 0.34% to 0.63. Across the Atlantic and Pacific, the US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.29% at 99.35.
Taken together, the day’s trading reflected pressure across several cyclical and defensive sectors, a rise in implied volatility, and divergent commodity moves that may influence sector performance in the near term.