Canada’s main stock index extended its decline on Thursday as rising tensions in the Middle East—sparked by attacks on regional energy infrastructure—reduced investor appetite for risk. Mining stocks also weakened, mirroring a drop in metal prices.
International oil prices surged after Iran struck a major liquefied natural gas export facility in Qatar, followed by Israel hitting Iran’s South Pars gas field. Iran then responded with attacks on Qatari energy sites. With traffic through the critical Strait of Hormuz largely halted, leaders from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan issued a joint statement on Thursday expressing their “readiness to contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait.” US President Donald Trump said the US would cease attacking Iranian energy infrastructure, which eased the surge in oil prices.
| TSX | 31,854.98 | -457.69 |  |
| TSXV | 936.57 | -39.45 | |
| CSE | 167.32 | -5.90 | |
| DJIA | 46,021.43 | -203.72 | |
| NASDAQ | 22,090.69 | -61.73 | |
| S&P 500 | 6,606.49 | -18.21 | |
The Canadian dollar traded for 72.82 cents US compared to 72.85 cents US on Wednesday.
US crude futures traded US$2.41 lower at US$95.67 a barrel, and the Brent contract lost US$2.28 to US$105.10 a barrel.
The price of gold was down US$242.69 to US$4,648.78.
In world markets, the Nikkei was down 1,866.87 points to ¥53,372.53, the Hang Seng was down 524.84 points to HK$25,500.58, the FTSE was down 241.79 points to ₤10,063.50, and the DAX was down 662.69 points to €22,839.56.
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