Canada's main index lost just a handful of points Thursday, weighed down by weakness in energy and base metal stocks, while U.S. markets were mixed. 

The S&P/TSX Composite Index closed down 4.82 points, or 0.02 per cent, at 20,053.07.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 45.74 points at 34,945.47. The S&P 500 Index was up 5.36 points at 4,508.24, while the Nasdaq Composite was up 9.84 points at 14,113.67.

The Canadian dollar traded for 72.68 cents U.S., according to XE.com, compared with 73.13 cents U.S. on Wednesday.

The January crude oil contract was down US$3.70 at US$73.09 per barrel and the December natural gas contract was down 13 cents at US$3.06 per mm/BTU.

The December gold contract was up US$23.00 at US$1,987.30 an ounce and the December copper contract was down two cents at US$3.70 a pound.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 16, 2023.