TSX Today: What to Watch for in Stocks on Wednesday, March 16

The U.S. Fed’s monetary policy decision could keep TSX tech stocks highly volatile today.

| More on:

The stock market roller coaster continued on Tuesday, as investors remained focused on the Fed meeting and updates related to the Russia-Ukraine war. Despite falling by more than 200 points during the intraday trading, the TSX Composite Index staged a sharp recovery later in the session. The benchmark ended the day at 21,188 without any major change from its previous closing level.

Sectors like technology and consumer cyclicals posted strong gains on March 15, despite weakness in consumer non-cyclicals and energy shares.

TSX Today

Top TSX movers and active stocks

Lightspeed Commerce (TSX:LSPD)(NYSE:LSPD) stock rose by more than 8.5% after consistently falling in the previous three sessions, making it Tuesday’s top-gainer Canadian stock. While there was no company-specific news, the recent high volatility in tech stocks, including LSPD, could primarily be attributed to the upcoming U.S. monetary policy decision. Despite a sharp recovery in Lightspeed stock in the last couple of weeks, it’s still down by more than 10% on a year-to-date basis.

ECN Capital, Nuvei, Shopify, Interfor, and Docebo were also among the top gainers, as they rose by at least 7.5% each yesterday.

On the flip side, Wesdome Gold, Westshore Terminals Investment, Labrador Iron Ore Royalty, and Saputo fell by more than 4% each, making them the worst-performing TSX Composite components.

Based on their daily trade volume, Canadian Natural Resources, Suncor Energy, Enbridge, and Baytex Energy remained the most active stocks on the exchange.

TSX today

Early Tuesday morning, most commodities were trading on a mixed to negative note, which could keep the TSX benchmark flat at the open today. Apart from the domestic consumer price data, Canadian investors could monitor the U.S. retail sales and crude oil stockpiles releases this morning. More importantly, the Fed’s latest interest rate decision, FOMC statement, and press conference would remain investors’ main focus and give further direction to stocks. I expect these economic events to keep the market volatility high — especially in the tech sector.

The Motley Fool owns and recommends Nuvei Corporation and Shopify. The Motley Fool recommends CDN NATURAL RES, Docebo Inc., Enbridge, Lightspeed Commerce, and WESTSHORE TERMINALS INVESTMENT CORP. Fool contributor Jitendra Parashar has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

More on Tech Stocks

Piggy bank on a flying rocket
Tech Stocks

Canada’s Defence Spending Boom: 3 Stocks Poised to Win Big

Canada has a wave of defence spending coming. Here are three top stocks poised to win big from this new…

Read more »

chip glows with a blue AI
Tech Stocks

Revealed: Here’s the Only Canadian Stock I’d Refuse to Sell

Here’s why selling this Canadian stock might not make sense right now.

Read more »

a man relaxes with his feet on a pile of books
Tech Stocks

The TFSA Balance You’ll Probably Need to Retire Well in Canada

Explore how to retire wisely with a Tax-Free Savings Plan for a less taxable retirement and maximize your income.

Read more »

A microchip in a circuit board powers artificial intelligence.
Tech Stocks

The Tech Stock I’d Most Want to Buy If I Were Investing Today

Discover why Celestica is a leading tech stock. Learn about its impressive growth and strategic adaptations in the AI landscape.

Read more »

some REITs give investors exposure to commercial real estate
Dividend Stocks

Dreaming of a TFSA Million? Here’s How Much You’d Need to Set Aside Each Month

A million-dollar TFSA in 10 years takes serious monthly saving, and Altus Group could be one TSX stock to help.

Read more »

man makes the timeout gesture with his hands
Dividend Stocks

Why Your TFSA – Not Your RRSP – Should Be Doing the Heavy Lifting

The TFSA’s real superpower is tax-free compounding, and it gets even stronger when you pair it with a proven long-term…

Read more »

A robotic hand interacting with a visual AI touchscreen display.
Tech Stocks

3 Canadian Growth Stocks Worth Considering for a TFSA This Year

These three TSX growth stocks mix real revenue momentum with improving profits, exactly what TFSA investors want for tax-free compounding.

Read more »

warehouse worker takes inventory in storage room
Tech Stocks

Could Buying This One Stock Actually Put You on a Path to Millionaire Status?

Shopify is growing fast, adding AI tools, and winning bigger brands, but its pricey valuation means investors need patience.

Read more »