S&P/TSX composite makes small gain, U.S. stock markets move lower

Strength in base metals and telecom helped Canada’s main stock index post a small gain Friday, while U.S. markets moved lower.

The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 32.92 points at 21,255.61.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 145.13 points at 38,627.99. The S&P 500 index was down 24.16 points at 5,005.57, while the Nasdaq composite was down 130.52 points at 15,775.65.

The Canadian dollar traded for 74.16 cents US compared with 74.11 cents US on Thursday.

The April crude contract was up 87 cents at US$78.46 per barrel and the March natural gas contract was up three cents at US$1.61 per mmBTU.

The April gold contract was up US$9.20 at US$2,024.10 an ounce and the March copper contract was up eight cents at US$3.84 a pound.