TORONTO –
The energy and financials sectors lifted Canada’s main stock index to start 2022 on anticipation that the Omicron variant will carry less of a punch despite rising infections.
The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 13.68 points to 21,236.52 after a strong morning start to trading.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 214.59 points at 36,799.65. The S&P 500 index was down 3.02 points at 4,793.54, while the Nasdaq composite was down 210.08 points at 15,622.72.
The Canadian dollar traded for 78.69 cents US compared with 78.88 cents US on Friday.
The February crude contract was up 91 cents at US$76.99 per barrel and the February natural gas contract was down 9.8 cents at US$3.72 per mmBTU.
The February gold contract was up US$14.50 at US$1,814.60 an ounce and the March copper contract was up 5.4 cents at nearly US$4.48 pound.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 4, 2022.