Health-care stocks gain on both sides of the border in wake of U.S. midterms

TORONTO -- North American markets closed higher on health-care stock gains on both sides of the border in the aftermath of the U.S. midterm elections.

The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 76.72 points to 15,369.43

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 545.29 points at 26,180.30. The S&P 500 index was up 58.44 points at 2,813.89, while the Nasdaq composite was up 194.79 points at 7,570.75

The Canadian dollar traded at an average of 76.36 cents US compared with an average of 76.16 cents US on Tuesday.

The December crude contract was down 54 cents at US$61.67 per barrel and the December natural gas contract was unchanged at US$3.55 per mmBTU.

The December gold contract was up US$2.40 at US$1,228.70 an ounce and the December copper contract was up 2.2 cents at US$2.75 a pound.