Toronto Stocks Recover Some Losses After Iran Attacks

Mining and finance stocks lead gains, offsetting weakness in industrial and retail sectors

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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Shares on Canada's main exchange recovered some of the ground lost in this week's heavy selloff following attacks on Iran by the U.S. and Israel. The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX Composite Index was 0.6% higher, narrowing the decline so far this week to 1.1%. Mining and finance stocks led gains, countering weakness in the industrial-services and retail-trade sectors.

Why it matters

The rebound in Toronto stocks signals a stabilization of markets after the volatility caused by the attacks on Iran. Investors are closely watching developments in the Middle East and their impact on global trade and energy markets.

The details

Gold miners rebounded after the price of the precious metal recovered from the previous trading session's sharp pullback, boosted by safe-haven demand and as the U.S. dollar slipped. Oil prices also stabilized after the U.S. said it would discuss offering insurance and military escorts to ships to help ease the flow of oil in the Middle East. However, George Weston, the parent company of grocery chain Loblaw, saw its shares decline 3.9% after missing analyst profit expectations.

  • The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX Composite Index was 0.6% higher just before midday on March 4, 2026.

The players

S&P/TSX Composite Index

The benchmark stock market index for the Toronto Stock Exchange, representing the largest companies listed on the exchange.

Barrick Mining

A major Canadian gold mining company.

B2Gold

A Canadian gold mining company.

Kinross Gold

A Canadian gold mining company.

George Weston

The parent company of Canadian grocery chain Loblaw.

Scott Bessent

The U.S. Treasury Secretary.

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What they’re saying

“The U.S. would discuss offering insurance and military escorts to ships to help ease the flow of oil in the Middle East, where thousands of vessels are stuck waiting in ports.”

— Scott Bessent, U.S. Treasury Secretary

The takeaway

The rebound in Toronto stocks suggests markets are stabilizing after the volatility caused by the attacks on Iran, but concerns remain about the impact on global trade and energy markets. Investors will continue to closely monitor developments in the Middle East and their effect on the Canadian economy.