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

TORONTO - Canada's main stock index, the S&P/TSX composite, faced a decline in late-morning trading due to losses in the base metals sector, while U.S. stock markets experienced an upward trend. The S&P/TSX composite index dropped 77.92 points to 36,333.80. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrial average increased by 248.28 points to 52,734.77, the S&P 500 index rose by 29.38 points to 7,648.76, and the Nasdaq composite gained 117.18 points to 25,583.37.

Meanwhile, the Canadian dollar strengthened to 70.15 cents US against the US dollar, up from 70.52 cents US the previous day. The price of December crude oil surged by 30 cents US to $86.83 per barrel, and the price of December gold slipped by $120.30 to $3,880.20 an ounce.