By Adriano Marchese


Stocks trading in Toronto were lower in midday trading on Wednesday, and were in line with U.S. indexes that were down after comments by members of the Federal Reserve suggested that there could be more interest rate hikes ahead.

Among the Canadian sectors, technology was the main laggard, followed by producer manufacturing and process manufacturing. The only sectors to rise were utilities, health services and communications.

Canada's S&P/TSX Composite Index was 0.65% lower at 20145.30. The blue-chip S&P/TSX 60 slipped 0.58% to 1213.13.

WSP Global Inc. said Wednesday it has agreed to buy engineering-services provider Calibre Professionals Services One Pty. Ltd. for 275 million Australian dollars ($185.7 million), bolstering its position in Australia serving mining companies in the country. Shares are down 2.2% at 169.96 Canadian dollars ($126.39).


Other market movers:

Liminal BioSciences Inc.'s shares soared after the development-stage biopharmaceutical company said its biggest shareholder has offered to buy all outstanding shares. Thomvest Asset Management Ltd. made an offer of $7.50 each, more than double Tuesday's closing price of $3.62.

Liminal's New York-listed shares were up about 80% to $6.51, a year-to-date high.

Shares of Desert Mountain Energy Corp. recovered from after falling to a two-year low, rising 9.6% to C$1.60 after the company said it was nearing commercial production with its helium field in Arizona.

Roots Corp. reported a decline in its fiscal fourth-quarter profit while sales were hampered by economic headwinds and heavier discounts to its inventory. Shares fell 1.3% to C$2.96.


Write to Adriano Marchese at adriano.marchese@wsj.com


(END) Dow Jones Newswires

04-05-23 1248ET