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Stocks Rise as Oil Slips Below $100 After Trump Extends Iran Ceasefire

North American markets opened higher this morning after President Trump extended the U.S.–Iran ceasefire, easing immediate geopolitical tensions and giving investors a reason to rotate back into risk assets. Oil prices slipped below the key $100 threshold for the first time in several sessions, reflecting reduced fears of supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz. Brent and WTI both moved lower in early trading as traders unwound some of the geopolitical risk premium that had built up over the past week. Equities responded positively, with major U.S. and Canadian indexes posting early gains. Tech, financials, and consumer stocks led the advance, while energy names lagged due to the pullback in crude. For Canadian investors, the dynamic is mixed: lower oil prices weigh on the TSX’s resource-heavy sectors, but a calmer geopolitical backdrop supports broader market sentiment and reduces inflationary pressure tied to energy costs.
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Canadian Stocks Edge Higher, U.S. Markets Slip on Last Trading Day of 2023

 

Canadian stocks closed slightly higher on Friday, the last trading day of 2023, as gains in the industrials and utilities sectors offset losses in the energy and materials sectors. The S&P/TSX composite index rose 29.06 points, or 0.14%, to end at 20,958.44, capping off a year of strong performance amid the recovery from the pandemic.

Meanwhile, U.S. markets dipped as investors took profits and weighed the impact of the Omicron variant on the economic outlook. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 20.56 points, or 0.05%, to 37,689.54, while the S&P 500 index dropped 13.52 points, or 0.28%, to 4,769.83. The Nasdaq composite index, which is heavily weighted with technology stocks, declined 83.78 points, or 0.56%, to 15,011.35.

The Canadian dollar traded lower against its U.S. counterpart, as the greenback strengthened on the back of higher Treasury yields. The loonie was down 0.08 cents at 75.61 cents US.

In commodities, oil prices edged lower as the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies agreed to stick to their plan of gradually increasing output in January, despite concerns over the demand outlook. The February crude oil contract was down 12 cents at US$71.65 per barrel. Natural gas prices also slipped, with the February natural gas contract down four cents at US$2.51 per mmBTU.

Gold prices fell as the appetite for safe-haven assets waned, while copper prices also dropped amid a stronger U.S. dollar. The February gold contract was down US$11.70 at US$2,071.80 an ounce and the March copper contract was down three cents at US$3.89 a pound.

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