Canadian stocks fall as quarterly GDP growth slows ( $ISPTX TA ANS ) (by Warangkana Chomchuen)
NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Canadian stocks opened lower on Friday after a GDP report showed Canadian economy grew at a slower pace in the fourth quarter. The S&P/TSX Composite Index (isptx) shed 38.23 points to 12,685.23. Statistics Canada said Canadian economic expansion has slowed down to an annualized rate of 1.8% in the fourth quarter, down from 4.2% in the third quarter. The growth met economists expectations but was lower than the 2% predicted by Bank of Canada. Shares of TransAlta Corp. (ca:ta) fell 1.7% after the company's fourth-quarter earning results. Ainsworth Lumber Co. (ca:ans) shares climbed 2.5% after the firm said its sales rose 26% in the fourth quarter, although earnings from operations fell.