S&P/TSX composite down, U.S. stock markets after Powell speech

Canada’s main stock index was down in late-morning trading, while U.S. stock markets were mixed following a speech by U.S. Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell who said upcoming decisions on interest rates will be based on what the incoming data says about inflation and the economy.

The S&P/TSX composite index was down 21.18 points at 19,754.65.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 76.18 points at 34,175.60. The S&P 500 index was down 5.80 points at 4,370.51, while the Nasdaq composite was down 58.39 points at 13,405.58.

The Canadian dollar traded for 73.34 cents US compared with 73.72 cents US on Thursday.

The October crude contract was up 89 cents at US$79.94 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was unchanged at US$2.64 per mmBTU.

The December gold contract was down US$12.90 at US$1,934.20 an ounce and the September copper contract was down two cents at US$3.76 a pound.