More Losses at Open for TSX

The TSX Composite lost 55.01 points, to open the midweek session at 18,965.91.

The Canadian dollar skidded 0.19 cents at 72.75 cents U.S.

Real-estate issues made up for their weak performance Tuesday, as units of Northwest Healthcare Partners picked up 24 cents, or 5%, to $5.02, while Allied Properties REIT gained 46 cents, or 2.7%, to $17.49.

Energy stocks proved a washout in the early going, with shares of International Petroleum sagging 62 cents, or 4.9%, to $12.02, while Vermilion Energy got tagged 75 cents, or 4%, to $18.08.

ON BAYSTREET

The TSX Venture Exchange dropped 3.49 points to 532.77.

Seven of the 12 TSX subgroups were making progress in the first hour, with real-estate leading the way, up 1.4%, while industrials and information technology each climbing 0.5%.

The five laggards were weighed most heavily by energy, plunging 2.7%, while gold and materials each dumped 0.4%.

ON WALLSTREET

The S&P 500 rose slightly Wednesday as Treasury yields pulled back from multiyear highs following the release of much weaker-than-expected jobs data.

The Dow Jones Industrials dropped 86.43 points to begin Wednesday at 32,915.95.

The much-broader index sagged 3.21 points to 4,226.24.

The NASDAQ index recovered 39.5 points to 13,098.97.

Energy stocks were among the worst performers in the S&P 500. Philips 66, Occidental Petroleum, Schlumberger N.V. and Devon Energy all declined more than 3% as crude prices fell.

Consumer discretionary was the best-performing sector, rising more than 1%. Etsy and Tesla led the sector gains, gaining more than 2% each.
ADP said Wednesday 89,000 private payrolls were added last month. That’s well below a Dow Jones forecast of 160,000 and fewer than an upwardly revised 180,000 payroll additions from August.

The ISM nonmanufacturing index came in at 53.6 for September, slightly below a StreetAccount forecast of 53.7. To be sure, that’s below the August reading of 54.5.

Prices for the 10-year Treasury regained lost strength, lowering yields to 4.79% from Tuesday’s 4.80%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.

Oil prices retreated $2.57 to $86.66 U.S. a barrel.

Gold prices faded $7.70 to $1,833.80.