In September, the S&P/TSX declined by 2.6%, while the S&P 500 decreased by 0.3%. The MSCI ACWI ex-USA also posted a negative return of 2.3%.
The 12-month performance metrics showed that the NQICAT recorded the strongest gain, with a 26.4% one-year return. The MSCI ACWI ex-USA followed with a 20.5% increase, while the S&P/TSX gained 20.0%. The S&P 500 recorded a 15.7% return over the same period.
The NQICAT outperformed the broader market during the month, registering a slight increase of 0.3% in September. Its year-to-date performance also remained strong at 18.1%, compared with 14.7% for the MSCI ACWI ex-USA, 13.0% for the S&P/TSX, and 12.7% for the S&P 500.
At the sector level, IT was the only sector to post a positive return in September, rising by 4.2%. Consumer Staples and HealthCare were the next strongest sectors, declining by 0.4% and 0.8%, respectively. Conversely, Telecom, Materials, and Consumer Discretionary experienced the weakest returns, falling by 11.3%, 7.4%, and 3.0%, respectively.
Within the NQICAT, the top three performers were Mineros S.A. (MSA.TO), which rose by 22.5%, followed by Hammond Power Solutions Inc. (HPS.A.TO) at 18.8% and Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. (WDO.TO) at 5.9%. On the other hand, Intact Financial Corporation (IFC.TO) and Constellation Software Inc. (CSU.TO) recorded the lowest monthly returns, each declining by 7.8%, followed by CGI Inc. (GIB.A.TO), which decreased by 7.1%.