TORONTO _ The Toronto stock market closed with a small loss amid data showing an improving climate for U.S. manufacturers but worsening conditions in China.
The S&P/TSX composite index declined 6.69 points to 15,556.26, weighed down by gold stocks as concerns that the Fed could move sooner than expected to hike interest rates and a lessening of tensions in the Ukraine/Russia crisis continued to pummel bullion prices.
The Canadian dollar was up 0.22 of a cent to 91.37 cents US.
The Dow Jones industrials rose 60.36 points to 17,039.40 as the preliminary Markit manufacturing purchasing managers index jumped last month to its highest level since April 2010.
The Nasdaq added 5.62 points to 4,532.1 and the S&P 500 index was ahead 5.87 points to 1,992.38 as other data showed U.S. new home sales rose for a fourth straight month to the highest level in nearly a year.
Elsewhere, the preliminary version of HSBC's manufacturing index for China fell to a three-month low.
For news about small stocks that made big moves in Thursday’s trading, please read the
Stockhouse Canadian Small and Micro-cap Stock Report