Canada's main stock index posted a small gain Wednesday while U.S. stock markets were mixed after the latest report on inflation south of the border. 

The S&P/TSX Composite Index closed up 55.86 points at 20,278.94.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 70.46 points at 34,575.53. The S&P 500 Index was up 5.54 points at 4,467.44, while the Nasdaq Composite was up 39.97 points at 13,813.58.

The Canadian dollar traded for 73.80 cents U.S. compared with 73.75 cents U.S. on Tuesday.

The October crude contract was down 32 cents at US$88.52 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was down six cents at US$2.68 per mm/BTU.

The December gold contract was down US$2.60 at US$1,932.50 an ounce and the December copper contract was up less than a penny at US$3.79 a pound.