S&P/TSX composite closes down four points, U.S. markets slip

The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 3.78 points at 19,977.13.

Canada’s main stock index barely slipped Monday, while markets in the U.S., especially the Nasdaq, were down more as tech stocks fell.

The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 3.78 points at 19,977.13.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 45.41 points at 33,700.28.The S&P 500 index was down 15.40 points at 3,949.94,while the Nasdaq composite was down 121.55 points at 11,024.51, pulled down by losses at the likes of Apple, Alphabet Inc., Tesla Inc. and Meta.

This is a historically quiet time for the markets, said Angelo Kourkafas, an investment strategist at Edward Jones, noting that markets in the U.S. are closed Thursday because of Thanksgiving. Investors are in a “risk-off” mood, he said.

Kourkafas said after market rallies earlier in the month, he expects markets to continue in a holding pattern for the next week or so.

“It wouldn’t be surprising to see stocks consolidate or stay range-bound in the absence of any major headlines,” he said.

Both the U.S. and Canada will have one more inflation data release before the end of the year, and one more central bank announcement on interest rates, noted Kourkafas. Both banks are expected to raise rates again, but to show signs of slowing their tightening campaigns.

However, Kourkafas said with increasing chances that the terminal rates will be a little higher than previously expected, markets are already pricing in higher terminal rates, which he said is good news.