TORONTO -- The Toronto stock market has bounced between positive and negative territory but appears set to end one of the worst months in its history with a fizzle.
Toronto's S&P/TSX composite index was down 88.5 points at 9,767.7 near the closing bell after mounting a brief surge into positive territory during the afternoon, motivated by rising oil prices.
The December crude oil contract ended the day ahead $1.85 to $67.81 on the New York Mercantile Exchange.
The Canadian dollar was ahead 0.93 of a cent at 83.03 cents US, after jumping 0.47 cent Thursday.
The Dow Jones industrial average was up 95.49 points to 9,276.18 despite a U.S. Commerce Department report that personal spending fell 0.3 per cent last month, the biggest decline since June of 2004.
Investors have largely priced in the fact that Americans are fearful about the economy and their shrinking investment portfolios.
