TSX Flat, Trade Deficit Balloons -- Canadian Commentary

(RTTNews) - Canadian stocks were flat again Thursday as traders remained cautious about trade issues and the global economy.

The TSX Composite Index was down 6 points to 15,621.47. June WTI oil gained 50 cents, or 0.7%, to settle at $68.43/bbl.

SNC - Lavalin Group (SNC.TO) reported a profit for first quarter that dropped from the same period last year. Shares fell 4 percent.

BCE Inc. (BCE.TO) reported earnings of $661 million in Q1 vs. $642 million in the same period last year. Shares fell 1.6 percent.

Bombardier (BBD_A.TO) will sell its Downsview property for gross proceeds of approximately $635 million to the Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP Investments). The company said earnings per share were up a penny from the same quarter a year ago. Shares rose 1.8 percent.

Crescent Point Energy (CPG.TO) is cutting $25 million from its 2018 capital spending. The company reported a net loss of $91 million or 17 cents per share for the three months ended March 31, compared with a net profit of $119 million.

In the marijuana sector, MedReleaf said it has had takeover talks with Aurora Cannabis.

Canada's imports rose 6.0% to a record $51.7 billion in March, Stats Canada said today. Exports also increased, up 3.7% to $47.6 billion. As a result, Canada's merchandise trade deficit with the world widened from $2.9 billion in February to a record $4.1 billion in March.