Stock Markets April 28, 2026 04:35 PM

Toronto market slips as IT, Materials and Clean Technology stocks weigh on index

S&P/TSX Composite closes down 0.69% as select energy and logistics names buck the trend

By Maya Rios BTE TFII VET CLS
Toronto market slips as IT, Materials and Clean Technology stocks weigh on index
BTE TFII VET CLS

Canada's equity market finished lower on Tuesday, with the S&P/TSX Composite retreating 0.69% as Information Technology, Materials and Clean Technology sectors fell. Market breadth favored decliners, though a handful of energy and transportation stocks posted notable gains. Volatility measures ticked up and commodity prices diverged, with oil rising while gold fell.

Key Points

  • S&P/TSX Composite closed down 0.69% as IT, Materials and Clean Technology sectors underperformed.
  • Market breadth was negative: 553 decliners, 403 advancers and 61 unchanged; S&P/TSX 60 VIX rose to 17.70.
  • Notable rallies were recorded in Baytex Energy, TFI International and Vermilion Energy, while Celestica, Lundin Mining and AbraSilver were among the heaviest losers; commodities diverged with oil up and gold down.

The Toronto market closed lower on Tuesday, pressured by declines across Information Technology, Materials and Clean Technology names, leaving the S&P/TSX Composite down 0.69% at the end of trading in Toronto.

Advancers were outnumbered by decliners on the Toronto Stock Exchange, with 553 stocks falling versus 403 advancing, and 61 issues finishing unchanged. The S&P/TSX 60 VIX, which tracks implied volatility for options on the S&P/TSX Composite, increased 1.72% to 17.70.


Top performers

  • Baytex Energy Corp (TSX:BTE) led the winners, climbing 4.95% - up 0.32 points to close at 6.78. The stock reached three-year highs in the session.
  • TFI International Inc (TSX:TFII) gained 4.92%, or 9.28 points, finishing at 197.81. The share price advanced to a 52-week high.
  • Vermilion Energy Inc. (TSX:VET) rose 4.07%, up 0.70 points to 17.88 at the close.

Lagging issues

  • Celestica Inc. (TSX:CLS) recorded the largest decline among major names, falling 14.48% - down 83.53 points - to trade at 493.22 at the close.
  • Lundin Mining Corporation (TSX:LUN) dropped 6.92%, a loss of 2.55 points, ending the session at 34.29.
  • AbraSilver Resource Corp (TSX:ABRA) fell 6.72%, or 1.17 points, to close at 16.23.

Commodities and currencies

In commodities trading, June gold futures moved lower, down 1.81% - a decrease of 85.09 - to settle at 4,608.61 per troy ounce. Crude oil for June delivery climbed 3.43%, rising 3.31 to $99.68 a barrel, while the July Brent contract increased 2.46%, up 2.50 to $104.19 a barrel.

On the currency front, the Canadian dollar was effectively unchanged versus both the U.S. dollar and the euro in percentage terms noted: CAD/USD was unchanged 0.40% to 0.73, while CAD/EUR unchanged 0.37% to 0.62. The U.S. Dollar Index futures rose 0.14% to 98.46.


Market context and takeaways

The trading session reflected selective strength among energy and transportation names amid broader weakness in technology, materials and clean-tech sectors. Market participants saw a modest rise in implied volatility, while commodity prices diverged with oil strengthening and gold retreating. Overall breadth favored decliners, underscoring the modest downward pressure on the composite index.

Risks

  • Sector concentration risk as weakness in IT, Materials and Clean Technology weighed on the broader index - these sectors may continue to influence market performance.
  • Volatility risk indicated by a rise in the S&P/TSX 60 VIX to 17.70, suggesting potential for wider price swings in near-term trading.
  • Commodity price divergence presents uncertainty for resource and energy-linked equities; rising oil alongside falling gold could differentially affect sector cash flows and valuations.

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