In April, the S&P/TSX increased by 3.8%, while the S&P 500 rose by 10.5%. The MSCI ACWI ex-USA also posted a strong gain of 9.7%.
The 12-month performance metrics highlighted that the S&P/TSX continued to lead with a 40.1% annual gain, compared to the MSCI ACWI ex-USA’s 32.9%. Both indices outperformed the S&P 500, which recorded a 31.1% one-year return.
The NQICAT index underperformed the broader market during the month, registering a monthly increase of 2.7% in April. However, its annual performance remained positive at 24.9%.
Sector-level analysis for April identified the top and bottom performers. HealthCare, Financials, and IT led the gains, rising by 17.9%, 10.6%, and 10.2%, respectively. Conversely, Telecom, Materials, and Consumer Staples experienced the lowest returns, falling by -6.5%, -5.3%, and -1.5%, respectively.
Within the NQICAT, the top three gains were found in Hammond Power Solutions Inc. (HPS.A.TO), which rose by +64.9%, while National Bank of Canada (NA.TO) and Extendicare Inc. (EXE.TO) each gained +13.9%. On the other hand, CGI Inc. (GIB.A.TO) experienced the lowest return with a decline of -12.6%, followed by Stella-Jones Inc. (SJ.TO) at -9.6% and Dundee Precious Metals Inc. (DPM.TO) at -6.8%.