North American stock markets up in early trading, loonie also climbs

Photo: The Canadian Press

Gains in the metals and mining and industrial sectors helped lift Canada's main stock index in early trading, while U.S. stock markets also climbed.

The S&P/TSX composite index was up 26.47 points at 17,971.35.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 208.98 points at 31,023.24. The S&P 500 index was up 25.25 points at 3,793.50, while the Nasdaq composite was up 130.50 points at 13,129.00.

The Canadian dollar traded for 78.48 cents US compared with 78.36 cents US on Monday.

The March crude oil contract was up 52 cents at US$52.94 per barrel and the February natural gas contract was down 16 cents at US$2.58 per mmBTU.

The February gold contract was up US$9.60 at US$1,839.50 an ounce and the March copper contract was up four cents at US$3.65 a pound.