Market View

The U.S. job openings rose more than expected in April, showing 7.39 million jobs open compared to 7.2 million in March, despite the first full month that President Trump’s tariffs went into effect. On the other hand, the Bank of Canada held interest rates unchanged for two meetings in a row at 2.75 percent, indicating that a rate cut would be appropriate if the economy continues to weaken. The Canadian dollar was 73.26 cents USD. The U.S. S&P 500 ended the week up 1.6%, while the TSX was up 0.8%.

Another week of greens and reds mixed. Materials added 5.1%, while consumer discretionary gained 0.7%.  Energy and financials added 0.5% and 0.4%, respectively. On the other hand, consumer staples edged lower by 0.9%. Industrials ended the week down 0.7%, while technology and real estate dropped 0.4%, each. The most heavily traded shares by volume were Suncor Energy (SU), Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) and Royal Bank of Canada (RY). 

5 from 5i

Here are five reads we found interesting last week:

• Ready to Retire in 5 Years? Here’s Your Checklist, by Margaret Giles of Morningstar.
• What’s the Best Withdrawal Strategy in Retirement?, published by Nick Maggiulli of Of Dollars and Data
• My Baptism by FIRE: Lessons on Financial Independence, by Christine Benz of Morningstar.
• Why Financial Success Does Not Equal Financial Wellness, by Danielle Labotka of Morningstar
• The Best Time to Sell Your Stocks, published by Ben Carlson of Ritholtz Wealth Management LLC

Happy Reading & Stay Safe!

Disclosure: The analyst(s) responsible for this report do not have a financial or other interest in securities mentioned.