TSX Down 8 Points at Midday in Choppy Trade, Most Sectors Trending Higher

The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX Composite Index is down 8 points at midday in choppy trade, but with most sectors trending higher.

The best performers are the energy and financials sector, up 1.0% and 0.6%, respectively.

The materials sector is down 0.2%, on lower gold prices.

Canada's retail sales edged up 0.5% to C$73.0 billion in April, reports Statistic Canada. Sales, which rose in five of nine subsectors, were boosted by price increases at gasoline stations and fuel vendors, the agency said.

However, core retail sales, which exclude gasoline stations and fuel vendors and motor vehicle and parts dealers, dipped 0.7% in April.

In stocks, Alamos Gold (AGI.TO) was last seen down 17% to an 8-month low of C$42.41 after it lowered its Q2 production outlook. Alamos said production at Young-Davidson Mine was negatively affected by two seismic events, causing unplanned downtime due to power loss in May. Lower grades were also mined in the second quarter, it added.