TORONTO -- Canada's main stock index closed higher today on the strength of the base metals, financials and materials sectors while oil settled above the US$50 mark for the first time in more than two months.
The S&P/TSX composite index advanced 15.22 points to 15,143.87.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 60.81 points to 21,891.12 -- its fourth consecutive day of hitting a record high.
The Nasdaq composite index declined 26.56 points to 6,348.12 and the S&P 500 index shed 1.80 points to 2,470.30.
The Canadian dollar remained above the 80-cent US mark, trading at an average price of 80.10 cents US, down 0.24 of a cent.
The September crude contract gained 46 cents to US$50.17 per barrel.
Elsewhere in commodities, the December gold contract fell US$1.90 to US$1,273.40 an ounce, the September copper contract climbed about 1.7 cents to US$2.89 a pound and the September natural gas contract lost 14.7 cents to US$2.79 per mmBTU.
