In August, the S&P/TSX increased by 3.1%, while the S&P 500 rose by 2.7%. The MSCI ACWI ex-USA also posted a positive return of 2.6%.
The 12-month performance metrics highlighted that the S&P/TSX continued to lead with a 29.9% annual gain, followed by the MSCI ACWI ex-USA with a 27.9% return. The NQICAT index posted a 25.7% one-year return, while the S&P 500 recorded a 20.4% gain over the same period.
The NQICAT index slightly underperformed the broader market during the month, registering a monthly increase of 2.2% in August. However, its year-to-date performance remained strong at 17.7%, compared with 17.4% for the MSCI ACWI ex-USA, 16.0% for the S&P/TSX, and 13.1% for the S&P 500.
Sector-level analysis for August identified the top and bottom performers. Materials, Telecom, and IT led the gains, rising by 25.8%, 5.7%, and 5.5%, respectively. Conversely, Consumer Staples, Utilities, and HealthCare experienced the lowest returns, falling by -6.5%, -5.6%, and -5.4%, respectively.
Within the NQICAT, the top three gains were found in K92 Mining Inc. (KNT.TO), which rose by +30.0%, followed by Wesdome Gold Mines Ltd. (WDO.TO) at +27.7% and Dundee Precious Metals Inc. (DPM.TO) at +27.3%. On the other hand, Extendicare Inc. (EXE.TO) experienced the lowest return with a decline of -13.7%, followed by Stella-Jones Inc. (SJ.TO) at -10.8%. Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. (ATD.TO) and Dollarama Inc. (DOL.TO) were also among the weakest performers, each declining by approximately -8.3%.