Market averages are flat at midday as the early selling pressure recedes. The S&P/TSX composite index is ahead four points at 7,361.

Geopolitical concerns continue to a weigh on markets. A suicide bombing in Israel killed 19 people on Tuesday.

Markets have also had plenty of economic news to mull over this morning.

Statistics Canada reported manufacturers had a solid month in April as increased auto sales drove shipments up by a better than expected 5% in April over March. Even excluding autos, manufacturing shipments remained strong with an increase of 3.3 %.

In the U.S., inflation remains non-threatening. Prices were flat in May in the best consumer price index showing in five months. The U.S. housing market continues to soar, thanks to low mortgage rates.

In Toronto, health care issues and gold stocks are posting gains. The health care sector is up 1.5%.

Glamis Gold is up 76¢ to $12.56, while Goldcorp is up 22¢ to $15.12.

On Wall Street,the Dow Jones Industrial Average is up a point to 9,688. The Nasdaq composite index has added six points to 1,559, and the S&P 500 is up three points to 1,039.

On the TSX Venture Exchange, the S&P/TSX venture composite index is up seven points at 1,189.