Boralex, Tamarack in Focus
The TSX Composite slid 100.97 points to finish Friday, December and the year 2022 at 19,384.92. On the week, the index was tagged 121.78 points, or 0.62%.
Over 2022, the main index lost 1,837 points, or 8.66%.
The Canadian dollar inched up 0.09 cents at 73.86 cents U.S.
Utilities took some of the biggest battering, with Boralex down 89 cents, or 2.2%, to $40.05, while NPI sagged 51 cents, or 1.1%, to $37.10.
In materials, Interfor lost 83 cents, or 3.8%, to $20.92, while First Quantum Mining docked $1.19, or 4%, to $28.26.
In financial stocks, Laurentian Bank dropped 83 cents, or 2.5%, to $32.29, while Brookfield Asset Management docked 81 cents, or 2%, to $38.83.
Shaw led communication stocks upward, $3.07, or 8.6%, to $35.84, while Quebecor climbed $1.30, or 4.5%, to $30.23.
In energy issues, Tamarack Valley Energy took on 17 cents, or 4%, to $4.47, while Athabasca Oil acquired nine cents, or 3.9%, to $2.42.
Health-care also found itself in the green, with Chartwell Retirement Residences gaining 19 cents, or 2.3%, to $8.42, while Canopy Growth grabbed five cents, or 1.6%, to $3.13.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange gained 5.5 points, or 1%, Friday, to 570.27, but lost two points on the week, or 0.34%. On the year, the loss proved to be nearly 369 points, or nearly 39.3%.
All but three of the 12 subgroups were in the red by the close, with utilities, materials and financials each off 1%.
The three gainers were communications, ahead 2.6%, while energy surged 0.5%, and health-care squeaked up 0.1%.
ON WALLSTREET
Stocks slipped on Friday to end a brutal 2022 with a whimper, as Wall Street wrapped up its worst year since 2008 on a sour note.
The Dow Jones Industrials slipped 73.55 points to end the week at 33,147.25
The S&P 500 skidded 9.78 points at 3,839.56
The NASDAQ Composite Index slumped 11.6 points to 10,466.48.
Friday marked the final day of trading in what has been a painful year for stocks. All three of the major averages suffered their worst year since 2008 and snapped a three-year win streak. The Dow fared the best of the indexes in 2022, down about 8.8%. The S&P 500 sank 19.4%, and is more than 20% below its record high, while the tech-heavy NASDAQ tumbled 33.1%.
Despite the yearly losses, the Dow and S&P 500 did break three-quarter losing streaks in the final three months of the year. The NASDAQ, however, dominated by the likes of Apple, Tesla and Microsoft, muddled through its fourth consecutive negative quarter for the first time since 2001. All three averages are negative for December, however.
Communication services was the worst performing sector in the S&P 500 this year, falling more than 40%, followed by consumer discretionary. Energy was the only sector to rise, climbing nearly 60%.
Prices for the 10-year Treasury wilted, raising yields to 3.88%.
Oil prices climbed $2.01 to $80.41 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices heightened $4.20 to $1,830.20 U.S. an ounce.