Business

The Toronto stock market is positive as traders looked to key housing and manufacturing data along with rising commodities.

The S&P/TSX composite index gained 21.84 points to 11,927.28.

The loonie was off 0.02 of a cent to 101.09 cents US as Statistics Canada reported manufacturing shipments dropped 0.4 per cent during June. At the same time, the agency revised the May showing to flat from a drop of 0.4 per cent.

New York's Dow Jones industrials added 3.34 points to 13,168.12, the Nasdaq composite index was ahead 7.53 points to 3,038.46 and the S&P 500 index advanced 1.16 points to 1,406.69.

Other data showed that U.S. builders slowed their pace of housing construction slightly in July as construction of single-family homes and apartments dipped 1.1 per cent. But in a hopeful sign for future construction, building permits increased almost seven per cent.

Oil rose 21 cents to US$95.54 a barrel.