Canada's main stock index posted a modest loss Thursday, weighed down by the financial and utility sectors, while U.S. stock markets were mixed, but essentially flat.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index closed down 71.02 points, or 0.34 per cent, at 20,918.40.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 15.29 points at 37,711.02. The S&P 500 Index was down 3.21 points at 4,780.24, while the Nasdaq Composite was up 0.54 points at 14,970.18.

The Canadian dollar traded for 74.58 cents U.S. compared with 74.73 cents U.S. on Wednesday.

The February crude oil contract was up 65 cents at US$72.02 per barrel and the February natural gas contract was up six cents at US$3.10 per mm/BTU.

The February gold contract was down US$8.60 at US$2,019.20 an ounce and the March copper contract was down less than a penny at US$3.78 a pound.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 11, 2024.