TORONTO -- The Toronto Stock Exchange eked out a small gain in midafternoon trading helped by a bump in oil and gold prices on the commodities-heavy market.
The S&P/TSX composite index was up 2.34 points at 14,931.71 after a triple-digit plunge on Wednesday. The Canadian dollar rose 0.18 of a U.S. cent to 80.07 cents.
Markets south of the border also sported small gains after going into a tailspin Wednesday amid reports that a Saudi-led coalition was taking military action against rebel positions in neighbouring Yemen.
Although not a major oil producer itself, Yemen sits astride straits that join the Red Sea and the Suez Canal with the Arabian Sea, an important energy trade route.
The May oil contract was up $1.52 at US$50.73 a barrel, while April gold advanced $7.60 to $1,204.60 an ounce.
In New York, the Dow Jones Industrials was up 31.96 points at 17,750.50, while the Nasdaq advanced 10.22 points to 4,886.74. The S&P 500 rose 5.33 points to 2,066.38.
