TSX slips 41 points, C$ up 1.66 cents US

The S&P/TSX composite index over three months

North American markets had a relatively calm day Monday, a change from the frequent plunges and occasional jumps that characterized trading in October.

The S&P/TSX composite index was up about 80 points in early trading and down 150 points in the mid-afternoon, but ended the day off just 41.5 points or 0.4 per cent at 9,721.26.

The index lost 17 per cent in October, including bone-shaking daily drops of around 800 points, but also added more than 1,300 points during three sessions in the middle of last week.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average slid 5.18 points to 9,319.83.

Toronto was dragged down by falling energy prices. The energy sub-index fell about 3.7 per cent as the oil and gasoline futures retreated amid more signs of economic weakness in the United States.

On the New York Mercantile Exchange, the price for light sweet oil for December delivery fell $3.90 to $63.91 US per barrel, while gasoline was off almost eight cents a gallon at $1.3625 US.

The Canadian dollar rose 1.66 cents to 84.68 cents US.

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