North American stock markets up to start the trading week, loonie rises

TORONTO — Gains in the industrial and utility sectors helped lift Canada’s main stock index in early trading, while U.S. stock markets moved to regain some of their losses from last week.

The S&P/TSX composite index was up 69.85 points at 15,650.49.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 267.75 points at 26,769.35. The S&P 500 index was up 34.64 points at 3,304.60, while the Nasdaq composite was up 118.80 points at 11,030.39.

The Canadian dollar traded for 75.35 cents US compared with 75.09 cents US on Friday.

The December crude oil contract was down 48 cents at US$35.31 per barrel and the December natural gas contract was down 12 cents at US$3.23 per mmBTU.

The December gold contract was up US$10.80 at US$1,890.70 an ounce and the December copper contract was up a penny at US$3.06 a pound.—