Source: The Canadian Press

The Toronto stock market closed sharply lower Tuesday, led by losses in mining and energy stocks as new efforts to slow the Chinese economy and a stronger American currency sent oil and metal prices tumbling.

The S&P/TSX composite index fell 97.46 points to 12,570.55.

Investors also took in a pause in interest rate hikes by the Bank of Canada, which is leaving its key rate at 1% after three increases earlier this year. The announcement came amid acknowledgment by the central bank that the recovery in Canada has been more gradual than had been expected at the beginning of the summer.

The Canadian dollar was sharply lower Tuesday, reflecting the stronger greenback and falling commodity prices, tumbling 1.7 cents to 96.91 cents US after falling as low as 96.4 cents US.

The TSX Venture Exchange backed off 23.3 points to 1,814.91.

While the Bank of Canada’s move was widely expected, there was some surprise in markets after the People’s Bank of China raised its one-year lending rate 0.25 percentage points to 5.56%, and its one-year deposit rate by 0.25 percentage points to 2.5%.

Tuesday’s announcement came as Beijing tries to cool rising inflation.

The greenback clawed back ground after U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner sought to downplay fears that China and the United States are heading towards a currency war, telling business leaders in California that no country can “devalue its way to prosperity.”

The dollar had weakened considerably in recent weeks amid speculation that the U.S. Federal Reserve will embark on a program of quantitative easing. The move would involve the central bank buying government bonds, which increases the supply of dollars and weakens the currency.

The rising U.S. currency and the Chinese rate hike sent commodity prices down sharply.

A strong Chinese economy has helped lift the global economy from the depths of recession and been particularly beneficial to commodity prices and oil and mining companies on the resource heavy TSX.

“Attempts to slow growth in China has a direct impact on commodities . . . therefore there is some downward pressure on those commodities as well as the Canadian dollar,” said Camilla Sutton, chief currency strategist at Scotia Capital.

The energy sector lost 1.18% with the November crude contract on the Nymex down $3.59 to US$79.49 a barrel. Canadian Natural Resources (TSX:CNQ) fell 52 cents to C$37.28 while Imperial Oil (TSX:IMO) lost 51 cents to $39.08.

The base metals sector was down 3.37% as the December copper contract in New York lost 10 cents to US$3.76 a pound. Teck Resources (TSX:TCK.B) lost $1.03 to C$43.89, while Quadra FNX Mining (TSX:QUX) moved down 80 cents to $14.68.

Gold stocks also fell, with the December bullion contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange down $36.10 to US$1,336 an ounce. Goldcorp Inc. (TSX:G) gave back $1.16 to C$43.45 while Barrick Gold Corp. (TSX:ABX) shed $1.61 to $46.91.

Financials were the major advancers with Scotiabank (TSX:BNS) ahead 43 cents at $55.52.

Investors were disappointed with earnings reports from Apple Inc. and IBM Corp. released after the close Monday — even as those earnings beat expectations.

Apple reported a 70% rise in global sales in the July-September quarter but cautioned that fourth-quarter profit will jump less than analysts expected. And though IBM said its net income rose 12%, investors were concerned that new contracts have fallen for a third straight quarter. IBM stock was down 3.36% at US$138.03, while Apple fell 2.67% to US$309.50.

“On average, the earnings reports have beaten expectations, but now investors are asking, ‘What’s next?’,” said Jonathan Satovsky, head of Satovsky Asset Management in New York.

“Even Apple reduced guidance for the fourth quarter of the year.”

BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd. (TSX:RIM) was also lower in the wake of the Apple report, down 43 cents at C$48.82.

Meanwhile, Bank of America Corp. reported a surprise loss Tuesday because of a one-time charge tied to credit and debit card reform legislation passed this year. Its shares fell 4.38% to US$11.80 even as the bank’s operating results easily beat forecasts.

Losses picked up following a report that bond fund giant Pacific Investment Management Co., BlackRock Inc. and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York want to force Bank of America to repurchase failed mortgages packaged into US$47 billion of bonds by its Countrywide Financial Corp. unit.

New York’s Dow Jones industrial average closed down 165.07 points at 10,978.62.

The Nasdaq composite index lost 43.71 points to 2,436.95, while the S&P 500 index declined 18.81 points to 1,165.9.

In other corporate news, food producer Premium Brands Holdings Corp. (TSX:PBH) says it has reached an agreement to acquire Seattle-based SK Food Group Inc. for $42.5 million. The Vancouver-based company said Monday the acquisition of SK Food Group, a manufacturer of artisan breakfast sandwiches and wraps, fits “perfectly” with its core strategies. Premium Brands shares rose 25 cents to $14.20.

Bombardier (TSX:BBD.B) shares dipped six cents to $5 as the company confirmed Tuesday that development of two new luxury business jets will cost “north of $1 billion,” more than double what some in the industry had expected. The Montreal-based aircraft and train maker announced Saturday that it will offer two Global aircraft that combine longer distances with improved fuel efficiency and increased comfort.