TORONTO -- Canada's main stock index closed slightly higher while the loonie climbed above 79 cents US on gains in the energy and health care sectors.

The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 23.35 points to 17,958.09.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 68.95 points at 30,991.52. The S&P 500 index lost 14.30 points at 3,795.54, while the Nasdaq composite was down 16.31 points at 13,112.64.

The Canadian dollar traded for 79.03 cents US compared with 78.68 cents US on Wednesday.

The February crude oil contract was up 66 cents at US$53.57 per barrel and the February natural gas contract was down 6.1 cents at nearly US$2.67 per mmBTU.

The February gold contract was down US$3.50 at US$1,851.40 an ounce and the March copper contract was up 4.75 cents at US$3.66 a pound.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 14, 2021.