S&P/TSX composite down in late-morning trading, U.S. stock markets trade higher

Canada’s main stock index was down in late-morning trading as the telecommunications and technology stocks posted losses, while U.S. stocks markets climbed higher.

The S&P/TSX composite index was down 13.48 points at 21,835.67.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 179.08 points at 38,893.85. The S&P 500 index was up 50.44 points at 5,167.53, while the Nasdaq composite was up 223.65 points at 16,196.82.

The Canadian dollar traded for 73.82 cents US compared with 73.89 cents US on Friday.

The April crude oil contract was up 61 cents at US$81.19 per barrel and the April natural gas contract was up four cents at US$1.69 per mmBTU.

The April gold contract was up 40 cents at US$2,161.90 an ounce and the May copper contract was up three cents at US$4.15 a pound.