Canada’s main stock index snapped its winning streak on Thursday, November 13, 2025, as a sharp sell-off in technology and utilities stocks dragged the S&P/TSX Composite lower, erasing part of Wednesday’s record-setting gains.
By the close in Toronto, the S&P/TSX Composite Index had fallen to around 30,381 points, a decline of roughly 1.45% from Wednesday’s all‑time high near 30,828. [1] That translates into a slide of more than 400 points, putting a decisive end to a four-day run of gains driven by surging commodities and solid corporate earnings. [2]
Key takeaways for November 13, 2025
- TSX falls over 400 points (~1.5%) after Wednesday’s record close above 30,800. [3]
- Tech, utilities, health-tech and base metals lead the decline, while energy and consumer sectors are relative bright spots. [4]
- Northland Power plunges more than 20% after slashing its dividend and reporting a wider Q3 loss. [5]
- AtkinsRéalis (formerly SNC‑Lavalin) climbs about 4–5% after raising its outlook for its nuclear segment. [6]
- Beyond Oil surges on its TSX debut, with shares more than doubling intraday after uplisting under the symbol BOIL. [7]
- Gold trades above US$4,200 an ounce, while oil edges higher and the Canadian dollar is little changed near US$0.71. [8]
TSX gives back a record high
Thursday’s session was all about pullback after euphoria. On Wednesday, the S&P/TSX Composite jumped around 1.4% to a record close near 30,827.58, surpassing its previous peak from October 15, helped by strong mining shares and upbeat earnings from consumer giant Loblaw. [9]
Overnight and early‑morning futures trading showed little sign of panic: index futures were roughly flat even as gold continued to rally and copper added nearly 1%, extending a powerful year‑to‑date run in commodities that has underpinned Canadian equities throughout 2025. [10]
Once cash trading got underway, however, the mood shifted. By late morning, Canada’s main index had already fallen more than 300 points, as losses in technology and base‑metal names accelerated and U.S. markets turned lower as well. [11]
Mid‑session data showed:
- The S&P/TSX Composite down about 1.2% around midday, while
- The large‑cap S&P/TSX 60 was off roughly 1.1%–1.8%, tracking the broad retreat. [12]
By the close, the index had recovered slightly from its worst levels but still ended about 1.45% lower at roughly 30,381, snapping a four‑day winning streak and “giving up” a portion of its recent record high. [13]
Sector snapshot: Tech drags, energy cushions the blow
Technology, utilities and health-tech lead the sell‑off
The day’s weakness was broad but most pronounced in growth‑oriented sectors:
- The technology sub‑index fell around 3% in early trading, making it the worst‑performing major group. [14]
- Utilities and health‑tech names also posted notable declines, adding defensive‑sector pressure on top of the tech slide. [15]
- Base‑metal miners contributed to the downside as investors took profits following a strong run alongside copper. [16]
This rotation out of higher‑valuation and rate‑sensitive stocks echoes a broader pattern in global markets, where investors have been recalibrating expectations amid shifting interest rate paths and lingering macro uncertainty.
Energy and consumer names provide some support
Not every corner of the TSX was in retreat:
- The energy index ticked higher (about +0.6% early in the session) as crude oil prices edged up, supported by hopes for firmer demand after the resolution of the U.S. government shutdown. [17]
- Consumer‑services and consumer‑discretionary sectors were among the few groups holding in positive territory, helped by individual winners and lingering strength in domestic demand. [18]
Still, the modest gains in energy and consumer stocks were nowhere near enough to offset the downdraft in technology, utilities, and industrial names tied to higher rates or long‑duration growth expectations.
Northland Power collapses on dividend cut
One of the most dramatic single‑stock stories on the TSX today was Northland Power Inc.
The renewable‑power producer’s shares dropped more than 20% after the company slashed its dividend and reported that its third‑quarter loss had more than doubled from a year earlier. [19]
The move came as Northland faces:
- Higher financing costs in a higher‑rate environment,
- Ongoing capital needs for large offshore wind projects, and
- Pressure to conserve cash to protect its balance sheet.
Dividend cuts are often taken poorly by income‑focused investors, and Northland’s steep one‑day decline was a major drag on the utilities and renewables complex, reinforcing concerns about the sustainability of payouts across rate‑sensitive names.
AtkinsRéalis rallies on upbeat nuclear outlook
Balancing some of the negativity, AtkinsRéalis Group Inc. – the engineering and project‑management firm formerly known as SNC‑Lavalin – was a standout gainer.
- The stock rose about 4–5%, trading around C$92.82, after the company raised its outlook for its nuclear segment on the back of stronger revenue growth and a robust project pipeline. [20]
The nuclear business, which has seen a resurgence in interest as governments seek low‑carbon, reliable baseload power, has become a key profit driver for AtkinsRéalis. Thursday’s reaction suggests investors continue to reward companies tied to energy transition themes—even on a down day for the broader market.
Beyond Oil soars on TSX debut
Another notable story for Canadian equities today came from the new listings file.
Beyond Oil Ltd., a food‑tech company that develops products aimed at extending the life of frying oil and reducing health risks from fried foods, began trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the ticker BOIL. [21]
Key points from the uplisting:
- The company was delisted from the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) at the close on November 12, 2025, and now trades solely on the TSX. [22]
- On its first TSX session, Beyond Oil’s share price surged from a previous close near C$1.70 to around C$3.99, a gain of well over 100%, as trading volumes spiked. [23]
The volatile debut underscores continued investor appetite for small‑cap growth names, even as the broader market cools. For the TSX, the uplisting also highlights how the main board continues to attract niche tech and sustainability‑focused issuers from junior exchanges.
Ballard Power’s Q3 results spotlight hydrogen theme
Hydrogen fuel‑cell specialist Ballard Power Systems was another name in focus after releasing its third‑quarter 2025 results before the open.
According to the company’s earnings release:
- Q3 revenue came in at US$32.5 million, up about 120% year over year, driven largely by bus and rail deliveries in its Heavy Duty Mobility segment. [24]
- Gross margin improved to around 15%, aided by restructuring and cost cuts that reduced cash operating costs by roughly 40%. [25]
- The company also signalled that 2025 revenue would be weighted to the second half of the year, as key projects ramp up. [26]
In early trading, Ballard’s shares traded modestly higher in U.S. pre‑market dealings, reflecting relief that losses narrowed more than analysts expected. [27] On the TSX, the stock’s reaction added nuance to the day’s narrative: investors are still selectively rewarding turnaround and restructuring stories, even amid broader risk‑off sentiment.
Commodities and the Canadian dollar: gold shines, oil steadies, loonie flat
Gold breaks above US$4,200
One of the most striking macro backdrops for Canadian equities remains the extraordinary strength in gold:
- Spot and futures prices climbed roughly 0.7% and traded above US$4,200 per ounce, their highest levels in about three weeks, as investors looked for safe havens after the end of the record‑long U.S. government shutdown. [28]
For the TSX, which hosts numerous senior and junior gold producers, elevated bullion prices have been a major tailwind throughout 2025, even if miners participated in today’s risk‑off tone.
Oil edges higher
Crude oil also provided a mild boost:
- The December crude contract was reported to be up only a few dozen cents per barrel—less than 1%—in late‑morning trading, as markets balanced shutdown‑related growth concerns with ongoing supply dynamics. [29]
Higher oil prices tend to support the energy‑heavy TSX, one reason energy stocks were able to eke out gains even as the rest of the market stumbled. [30]
Loonie little changed near US$0.71
In foreign‑exchange markets:
- The Canadian dollar traded around US$0.7136–0.7137, effectively flat versus Wednesday’s close, as modest oil gains were offset by global risk aversion and uncertainty around U.S. data releases in the wake of the shutdown. [31]
A relatively stable loonie means currency effects were not the main driver of equity moves today; sector‑specific and valuation concerns dominated.
Global backdrop: U.S. shutdown fallout and data fog
Thursday’s TSX sell‑off did not occur in isolation. U.S. and global markets spent the day digesting the aftermath of the longest‑ever U.S. government shutdown, which has delayed or distorted critical economic data:
- U.S. stock indices, including the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq, were under pressure, as Wall Street weighed the potential fallout from weeks of disrupted federal operations and delayed statistics. [32]
- The IMF warned that the shutdown had made it harder to assess real‑time U.S. economic conditions, noting signs of slowing domestic demand and softer job growth, even as it still expects inflation to trend gradually back toward the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. [33]
- Confusion over when key data—such as the October U.S. jobs report and inflation figures—will be released has added to volatility, with some officials signalling the numbers might be delayed or incomplete. [34]
For Canadian markets, this global “data fog” matters because it shapes expectations for future interest‑rate paths in both the U.S. and Canada, as well as the trajectory of commodities and the Canadian dollar.
Policy backdrop: Bank of Canada steady at 2.25%
Against this turbulent backdrop, the Bank of Canada (BoC) has so far maintained a policy rate of about 2.25%, according to recent rate‑schedule updates. [35]
While the BoC has already cut rates from prior peaks earlier in the cycle, it remains cautious, balancing:
- Slowing global growth and lingering post‑shutdown uncertainty in the United States,
- Elevated but moderating domestic inflation (with October CPI due for release next week on November 17, 2025), [36]
- And the need to avoid reigniting excessive housing or credit growth.
Thursday’s TSX retreat is unlikely to dramatically change the central bank’s trajectory on its own, but continued equity volatility and fresh economic data will feed into expectations for 2026.
What today’s move means for Canadian investors
For investors watching the Canadian stock market today (13.11.2025), a few themes stand out:
- Healthy corrections after records are normal
After a powerful run to fresh all‑time highs, a 1–2% pullback—even one exceeding 400 points—is not unusual. The TSX remains near historically elevated levels, still supported by robust commodity prices and selective earnings strength. [37] - Rate‑sensitive and high‑valuation names are still vulnerable
The outsized weakness in technology, utilities and renewables shows that markets remain wary of companies exposed to higher financing costs or long‑duration growth stories. Dividend cuts, as seen with Northland Power, are punished severely in this environment. [38] - Stock pickers still have opportunities
Today’s winners—AtkinsRéalis, Beyond Oil, and to a lesser extent Ballard Power—highlight that markets are still willing to reward companies with credible growth stories, improving margins, or clear catalysts like uplistings and upgraded guidance. [39] - Commodities remain a central pillar of the TSX story
With gold above US$4,200 and oil holding up reasonably well, the commodity backbone of the Canadian market is intact, even if mining shares take occasional pauses. [40] - Next catalysts: inflation data and central banks
Looking ahead, investors will be focused on:- Canada’s October CPI release on November 17,
- The evolution of U.S. data as shutdown‑related delays clear, and
- Any hints from the Bank of Canada and Federal Reserve about the pace of further rate cuts or a prolonged pause. [41]
Bottom line
On November 13, 2025, the Canadian stock market delivered a reminder that record highs often come with heightened volatility. The S&P/TSX Composite’s more‑than‑400‑point slide was driven primarily by tech and utility weakness, a high‑profile dividend cut at Northland Power, and global risk aversion tied to the U.S. shutdown fallout. Yet the resilience of energy, select industrials like AtkinsRéalis, and high‑beta names such as Beyond Oil and Ballard Power shows that investors are not abandoning Canadian equities—just becoming more selective.
For traders and long‑term investors alike, today’s session underscores the value of diversification across sectors, careful attention to balance‑sheet strength, and a close eye on the upcoming run of economic data that will shape the next leg of the TSX story.
References
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