The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday edition that Kinder Morgan Canada's threat to abandon its Trans Mountain pipeline is magnifying pessimism in a capital-starved industry already struggling with weak prices and no shortage of investor apathy. The Globe's Jeff Lewis writes that chief executive officer Steven Kean said on Monday the company would scrap the contentious project should it face additional roadblocks, sparking industry fears the project is close to being shelved. That would place Kinder's pipeline in dubious company, alongside TransCanada's Energy East and Enbridge's long-dead Northern Gateway proposal. Even the slightest whiff of cancellation is likely to deepen a malaise that has weighed heavily on energy shares and stoked concerns about the sector's competitiveness. One of the best hopes for rekindling investor apathy looks increasingly shaky. Ninepoint manager Eric Nuttall says: "It's just one more impediment to getting that very much required shift in sentiment. Here we have oil almost back up to a 4-1/2 year high, and Canadian names are languishing." Kinder shares gave back $2.32 to close Monday at $16.12, a day after the company halted all non-essential spending on Trans Mountain.