TORONTO — Canada’s main stock index was up sharply following a two-day holiday, while U.S. markets plunged again after shooting upward on Wednesday.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 232.16 points at 14,012.35 in the first 90 minutes of trading at the Toronto Stock Exchange following the Christmas and Boxing Day holidays.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 416.35 points at 22,462.10. The S&P 500 index was down 43.74 points at 2,423.96, while the Nasdaq composite was down 137.99 points at 6,417.35.
On Wednesday, the Dow and S&P 500 were up nearly five per cent while the Nasdaq rose 5.8 per cent.
The Canadian dollar traded at 73.30 cents US, down compared with an average of 73.59 cents US on Monday
The January crude contract was at US$45.40 per barrel, down 82 cents from Wednesday but up from $42.53 on Monday The January natural gas contract was at US$3.44 per mmBTU, down 2.5 cents from Wednesday but up from $3.42 on Monday.
The February gold contract was at US$1,277.80 an ounce, up $4.30 from Wednesday and up from $1,271.80 on Monday. The March copper contract traded at US$2.67 a pound, down three cents from Wednesday and up from US$2.66 on Monday.
Index and currency in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD)
The Canadian Press