Losses in the base metals sector led Canada's main stock index lower in late-morning trading, while U.S. stock markets climbed higher.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index was down 11.97 points, or 0.06 per cent, at 20,334.56.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 57.22 points at 32,855.62. The S&P 500 Index was up 6.73 points at 3,998.74, while the Nasdaq Composite was up 49.22 points at 11,625.22.

The Canadian dollar traded for 72.63 cents U.S. compared with 72.54 cents U.S. on Wednesday.

The April crude contract was up 39 cents at US$77.05 per barrel and the April natural gas contract was down a penny at US$2.54 per mm/BTU.

The April gold contract was up US$11.60 at US$1,830.20 an ounce and the May copper contract was down less than a penny at US$4.03 a pound.