Strength in energy stocks helped Canada’s main stock index creep higher in late-morning trading, while U.S. stock markets were mixed.

The S&P/TSX composite index was up 5.28 points at 21,842.46.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 165.78 points at 38,956.21. The S&P 500 index was down 5.35 points at 5,144.07, while the Nasdaq composite was down 76.33 points at 16,027.12.

The Canadian dollar traded for 73.57 cents US compared with 73.85 cents US on Monday.

The May crude oil contract was up 47 cents at US$82.63 per barrel and the April natural gas contract was up six cents at US$1.76 per mmBTU.

The April gold contract was down US$7.20 at US$2,157.10 an ounce and the May copper contract was down five cents at US$4.08 a pound.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 19, 2024.