TSX Shows Modest Gain as U.S. Markets Decline

A boost in telecom and utilities stocks helped send the Toronto Stock Exchange higher, while its U.S. counterparts fell as investors south of the border took a break before the holidays.
The S&P/TSX composite index gained 29.34 points at 15,335.23 as the Canadian dollar dipped 0.50 of a U.S. cent at 74.09 cents US.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 23.08 points at 19,918.88.
The S&P 500 was down 4.22 points at 2,260.96 and the Nasdaq composite lost 24.01 points to 5,447.42.
In commodities, the February crude contract rose 46 cents to $52.95 (U.S.) per barrel and the February gold contract lost $2.50 at $1,130.70 (U.S.) an ounce.
March copper contracts were flat at $2.50 (U.S.) a pound and January natural gas was unchanged at $3.54 (U.S.) per mmBTU.