Highlights
- The S&P/TSX Composite, S&P 500 and NASDAQ indices each hit all-time highs.
- Possible tighter sanctions on Iran and political chaos in Venezuela kept oil prices rising.
- Canadian and U.S. central banks held their overnight rate steady, while long-term bond yields ticked higher.
- Corporate earnings delivered better-than-expected results, supporting recent stock market gains.
Both Canadian and U.S. stock markets hit new all-time highs in April as 2019’s stock market rally continued unabated. Results were far less exciting for fixed income investors as interest rates ticked higher, putting downward pressure on bond prices.