TSX Muted as Iran Tightens Strait of Hormuz Blockade
2026-04-23 14:00
By
Isabela Couto
1 min. read
The S&P/TSX Composite Index traded near flat around 34,000 on Thursday as Iran tightened its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, renewing shipping concerns with no sign of resumed peace talks.
On Wednesday, Iran captured two ships attempting to exit the Strait and demanded the US lift its naval blockade, which remains in effect despite US President Trump's indefinite ceasefire extension.
Oil prices rose, fueling fears of energy-driven stagflation and potential rate hikes.
Major bank shares, including Royal Bank of Canada and BMO, were muted.
Gold fell, pressuring mining stocks; Agnico Eagle lost nearly 1%.
In other news, Waste Connections surged over 6% after reporting Q1 2026 earnings above expectations on Wednesday.
Fairfax Financial, down 0.1%, is scheduled to release results today.
In contrast, energy producers gained on rising oil prices, with Canadian Natural up nearly 1%.