Equities in Toronto continued to labour on their way to positive readings, as real-estate and communications dragged things down Wednesday.

The TSX Composite staggered 75.13 points at 21,243.77

The Canadian dollar fell 0.24 cents to 73.66 cents U.S.

In real-estate, units of Allied Properties REIT declined 68 cents, or 3.9%, to $16.98, while Colliers International Group faded $3.21, or 2%, to $157.02.

Communications took a hit, too, as TELUS handed over 40 cents, or 1.7%, to $23.57, while Rogers bowed 79 cents, or 1.3%, to $60.14.

Utilities were shaky as well, with Brookfield Infrastructure Partners shedding $1.24, or 3.2%, to $37.32, while Transalta dumped 28 cents, or 2.9%, to $9.38.

In consumer discretionary stocks, Restaurant Brands International gained $1.59, or 1.5%, to $47.34, while Gildan Activewear picked up 34 cents to $47.34.

In energy, Africa Oil improved in price five cents, or 2.4%, to $2.14, while Tourmaline Oil soared 74 cents, or 1.2%, to $60.75

On the economic slate, payroll numbers came out from Statistics Canada. They showed employees receiving pay and benefits from their employer—measured as "payroll employment" in the Survey of Employment, Payrolls and Hours—increased in number by 31,600 in December. Yearly, payroll employment jumped 223,500.

ON BAYSTREET

The TSX Venture Exchange slid 1.13 points to 554.59.

All but two of the 12 subgroups were down, with real-estate declining 1%, while communications and utilities each down 0.6%.

The two gainers proved to be consumer discretionary stocks, up 0.8%, and energy, up 0.3%.

ON WALLSTREET

Stocks slid Wednesday as investors looked ahead to a key inflation report due later this week.

The Dow Jones Industrials finished the day down 23.39 points Wednesday at 38,949.02, marking the index’s third consecutive day of losses.

The S&P 500 dropped 8.42 points to 5,069.76.

The NASDAQ index slid 87.56 points to 15,947.74.

UnitedHealth lost nearly 3% to lead the Dow lower. Intel docked 1.7% and Alphabet declined 1.8%, Elsewhere, Urban Outfitters fell 12.8% after reporting weaker-than-expected results for the fourth quarter.

Investors are looking toward the personal consumption expenditure reading for January on Thursday, which is the Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation.

The report will come as the market tries to build on the gains that took the Dow and S&P 500 to record highs. This week, the market has struggled, however, pulling back slightly.

Prices for the 10-year Treasury inched forward, lowering yields to 4.26% from Tuesday’s 4.31%. Treasury prices and yields move in opposite directions.

Oil prices faded 48 cents to $78.39 U.S. a barrel.

Gold prices dropped $1.10 to $2,043.00.