TORONTO -- Canada's main stock index edged lower amid losses in the energy sector, while U.S. stock markets climbed higher in late-morning trading.

The S&P/TSX composite index was down 4.67 points at 17,346.67.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 37.14 points at 29,909.61. The S&P 500 index was up 11.15 points at 3,640.80, while the Nasdaq composite was up 122.03 points at 12,216.43.

The Canadian dollar traded for 77.04 cents US compared with 76.85 cents US on Thursday.

The January crude contract was down 40 cents at US$45.31 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was down 11 cents at US$2.85 per mmBTU.

The February gold contract was down US$24.10 at US$1,787.10 an ounce and the March copper contract was up nine cents at US$3.42 a pound.