TORONTO - The Toronto Stock Exchange pushed higher in late-morning trading despite a drop in energy stocks and oil prices.

The S&P/TSX composite index gained 35.05 points at 15,160.85.

On the commodity markets, the January crude oil contract fell 82 cents to US$50.11 per barrel, while the January contract for natural gas gained 8.0 cents at US$3.715 per mmBtu.

The February gold contract climbed US$9.00 at US$1,179.10 and the March copper contract lost four cents at US$2.6400 per pound.

The Canadian dollar added 0.27 of a cent at 75.55 cents US.

In the U.S., stock markets were mixed.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 11.36 points at 19,263.14, while the S&P 500 added 1.88 points at 2,214.11.

The Nasdaq composite fell 4.12 points at 5,328.88.