Rate-Cut Hopes Fuel Tentative Rebound in Canadian Stocks

(Bloomberg) -- Canadian stocks clawed their way into the green, snapping a six-day losing streak as expectations mounted central banks would cut interest rates to flight the growing impact of the coronavirus.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index rose about 0.8% to 16,382.02 at 11:21 a.m. in Toronto, buoyed by gains in telcos, utilities and real estate. BCE Inc. gained about 1.1% and Brookfield Renewable Partners added 3.3%. Energy stocks fell despite oil rebounding rebounded from its worst week since 2008.

Group of Seven finance ministers plan to hold a teleconference on Tuesday to discuss their response to the threat posed by the outbreak, according to people familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The nations’ central bankers will also join the call. Meanwhile speculation is growing the Bank of Canada will cut interest rates at its announcement on Wednesday, and perhaps by 50 basis points.

Read More: Virus Rate Cut Could Open Poloz’s Bank of Canada Finale (1)

“You can’t turn off the second largest economy in the world, the fastest growing one, and not have some ramification,” John Zechner, president of J. Zechner Associates in Toronto. Positioning in the market was very bullish, so when the virus began to spread and earnings warnings came, the market started to experience some impact, he said.

Zechner said he’s been net short the company’s hedge fund for a while, with valuations high and driven by a low-interest rate environment. However, he said he did some buying this morning.

Meanwhile, there’s “still too many bulls” in the market, National Bank of Canada’s technical analyst Dennis Mark said in a note to clients. “Strong downside momentum in this market suggests that it will take time to exhaust and play out.”

The rally follows an 8.9% drop in the benchmark last week, marking the worst week for Canadian stocks since the financial crisis in late 2008.

Commodities

• Western Canada Select crude oil traded at a $12.75 discount to West Texas Intermediate prices
• Spot gold added 0.7% to $1,595.95 an ounce

FX/Bonds

• The Canadian dollar strengthened 0.2% to C$1.3384 per U.S. dollar
• The 10-year government bond yield fell 7 basis points to 1.061%

--With assistance from Jacqueline Thorpe.

To contact the reporters on this story: Kristine Owram in New York at kowram@bloomberg.net;Michael Bellusci in Toronto at mbellusci2@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Brad Olesen at bolesen3@bloomberg.net, Steven Fromm, Divya Balji

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