TORONTO –
Canada’s main stock index edged lower Thursday, with losses in technology and industrials buoyed by energy stocks, while U.S. stock markets were also down.
The S&P/TSX composite index was down 34.79 points at 20,341.44.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 252.40 points at 33,044.56. The S&P 500 index was down 30.01 points at 3,898.85, while the Nasdaq composite was down 104.74 points at 10,852.27.
In what seems to be the theme of the week for U.S. data, housing starts and first-time jobless claims data released Thursday were both weaker than expected, and U.S. markets reacted negatively, said Kevin Headland, chief investment strategist at Manulife Investment Management.
Meanwhile, markets in Canada held their ground against U.S. markets’ slump thanks to higher oil prices and energy stocks, he said.
Federal…