TORONTO -- Strength in utility and telecom stocks helped lift Canada's main stock index higher on Thursday, while U.S. stock markets moved lower.

The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 103.00 points at 19,137.81.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 9.98 points at 33,119.57. The S&P 500 index was down 5.56 points at 4,258.19, while the Nasdaq composite was down 16.18 points at 13,219.83.

The Canadian dollar traded for 72.82 cents US compared with 72.76 cents US on Wednesday.

The November crude oil contract was down U$1.91 at US$82.31 per barrel and the November natural gas contract was up 20 cents at US$3.17 per mmBTU.

The December gold contract was down $3.00 at US$1,831.80 an ounce and the December copper contract was down four cents at US$3.55 a pound.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 5, 2023.