Tech sector helps lift S&P/TSX composite, U.S. stock markets mixed

TORONTO –

Strength in the technology sector helped lead Canada’s main stock index higher in late-morning trading, while U.S. stock markets were mixed.

The S&P/TSX composite index was up 51.40 points at 20,802.45.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 108.61 points at 33,984.35. The S&P 500 index was up 57.21 points at 4,176.42, while the Nasdaq composite was up 333.24 points at 12,149.56.

The Canadian dollar traded for 75.12 cents US compared with 75.07 cents US on Wednesday.

The March crude contract was down 17 cents at US$76.24 per barrel and the March natural gas contract was up 11 cents at US$2.58 per mmBTU.

The April gold contract was down US$6.50 at US$1,936.30 an ounce and the March copper contract was up five cents at US$4.16 a pound.