P.M. market numbers: August 31, 2009

| North American markets | International markets | Bonds | Currency | Commodities |

The Toronto stock market closed lower, led by sliding commodity stocks as investors worried about the Chinese economy faltering.

The S&P/TSX composite index fell 109.76 points to 10,868.21 even as Statistics Canada reported that gross domestic product increased by 0.1%, the first time GDP has grown since July, 2008, following a 0.5% dip in May.

China’s main Shanghai market retreated almost seven per cent Monday, fed by concerns over a tightening in bank lending that could hurt that country’s economy.

China, which has continued to grow despite the global recession, is a major consumer of Canadian exports including commodities. Chinese stockpiling this year of such goods as copper and soy have helped drive up commodities prices and take the Toronto market up more than 40% from the lows of early March.

For the second quarter as a whole, Canadian GDP decreased 0.9%, a less pronounced rate of decline than the 1.6% drop in the previous quarter.

The Canadian dollar headed 0.26 of a cent lower to 91.32 cents US.

Energy stocks in particular pressured the Toronto market, with the sector down two per cent. The October crude contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell $2.78 to US$69.96 a barrel.

New York markets were also negative as the Dow Jones industrials moved 47.92 points lower to 9,496.28.

The Nasdaq composite index was down 19.71 points to 2,009.06 and the S&P 500 index was down 8.31 points to 1,020.62.

Investors were cautious as August trading ended, looking for some sort of catalyst to give the stock market rally that started in March another leg.

Key readings will be released this week on manufacturing and employment in August that have the ability to either sustain or upset the rally.

The most important piece of data this week is the U.S. government’s monthly jobs report on Friday. Economists are expecting another 220,000 jobs were lost, down from 247,000 in July. Last month’s report showed an unexpected dip in the unemployment rate and investors are anxious to see if the rate continues to fall.

Canadian employment data for August is also released on Friday. Economists expect a drop of about 20,000 jobs during the month.

Other commodity prices slid with the December bullion contract down $5.30 to US$953.50 an ounce while September copper fell 11.5 cents to US$2.808.

(THE CANADIAN PRESS)

North American markets

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	Close	Change	YTD
Dow Jones	9,496.28	-47.92 or -0.50%	+8.20%
S&P 500	1,020.62	-8.31 or -0.81%	+12.99%
NASDAQ	2,009.06	-19.71 or -0.97%	+27.40%
TSX Composite	10,868.21	-109.76 or -1.00%	+20.92%

International markets

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	Close	Change	YTD
Nikkei	10,492.53	-41.61 or -0.40%	+18.43%
Hang Seng	19,724.19	-374.43 or -1.86%	+37.09%
SENSEX	15,666.64	-255.70 or -1.61%	+62.39%
FTSE 100	4,908.90	+39.55 or +0.81%	+10.71%
CAC 40	3,653.54	-39.60 or -1.07%	+13.54%
DAX	5,464.61	-52.74 or -0.96%	+13.60%

Bonds

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Bonds	$Current	$Previous	%Yield
Cdn. 10-year bond	101.84	102.96	3.40
Cdn. 30-year bond	105.37	118.66	4.18
U.S. 10-year bond	101.34	101.34	3.43
U.S. 30-year bond	104.53	104.53	4.23

Currency

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BoC Close	Today	Previous
Canadian $	0.9132	0.9211
US $	1.0950	1.0856

Euro Spot Rate	Today	Previous
Canadian $	0.6370	0.6416
Euro	1.5698	1.5587

Commodities

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Gold	AM	PM
London Gold Fix ($US)	$955.75	$955.50

Oil	Close	Change
WTI Crude Future (US)	$69.69	-$3.05 or -4.19%

(08/31/09)