Energy sector helps boost stocks in Toronto

U.S. stock markets also edged higher on Wednesday

The energy sector led Canada’s main stock index as it closed higher along with U.S. markets in a day that saw a lull in trade-war news.

The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 88.06 points at 16,271.65.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average closed up 258.20 points at 26,036.10. The S&P 500 index was up 18.78 points at 2,887.94, while the Nasdaq composite was up 29.94 points at 7,856.88.

The Canadian dollar averaged US75.18¢, down from an average of US75.37¢ on Tuesday.

The October crude contract closed up US85¢ at US$55.78 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was up three cents at US$2.22 per mmBTU.

The December gold contract was down US$2.70 at US$1,549.10 an ounce and the December copper contract was up US1.2¢ at US$2.57 a pound.