P.M. market numbers: December 21, 2009

| North American markets | International markets | Bonds | Currency | Commodities |

The Toronto stock market ended Monday in positive territory after most sectors posted gains, even as key commodities plunged in value.

The S&P/TSX composite index was up 91.32 points to 11,554.72, in what’s expected to be a volatile shortened trading week ahead of the Christmas holiday.

Gold stocks led the down side on the TSX, falling 1.5% as the February bullion contract moved back $15.50 to close at US$1,096 an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

The value of gold eroded while the U.S. dollar moved higher against other major currencies, with its momentum driven by optimism about the economy.

Energy stocks were up 1.3%, with crude oil for the January contract, which expired at the end of the session, fell 89 cents to $72.47. The February contract ended 70 cents lower to $73.72.

The TSX has recouped most of the losses made on the market earlier this year, but is still well the 11,878 high for the year in early November.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones industrials rose 85.25 points to 10,414.14. The Nasdaq composite index was up 25.97 points to 2,237.66, while the S&P 500 index increased 11.58 points to 1,114.05.

Statistics Canada reported that retail sales rose 0.8% to $35.3 billion in October, returning to levels last seen a year earlier when the recession was still underway.

The Canadian dollar rose 0.41 of a cent to 94.22 cents US.

(The Canadian Press)

North American markets

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	Close	Change	YTD
Dow Jones	10,414.14	+85.25 or +0.83%	+18.66%
S&P 500	1,114.05	+11.58 or +1.05%	+23.34%
NASDAQ	2,237.66	+25.97 or +1.17%	+41.89%
TSX Composite	11,554.72	+91.32 or +0.80%	+28.56%

International markets

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	Close	Change	YTD
Nikkei	10,183.47	+41.42 or +0.41%	+14.94%
Hang Seng	20,948.10	-227.78 or -1.08%	+45.60%
SENSEX	16,601.20	-118.63 or -0.71%	+72.08%
FTSE 100	5,293.99	+97.18 or +1.87%	+19.39%
CAC 40	3,872.06	+77.62 or +2.05%	+20.33%
DAX	5,930.53	-99.32 or -1.70%	+23.29%

Bonds

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Bonds	$Current	$Previous	%Yield
Cdn. 10-year bond	101.94	102.74	3.51
Cdn. 30-year bond	115.20	116.40	4.07
U.S. 10-year bond	97.47	98.62	3.47
U.S. 30-year bond	96.84	99.56	4.41

Currency

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BoC Close	Today	Previous
Canadian $	0.9421	0.9381
US $	1.0614	1.0660

Euro Spot Rate	Today	Previous
Canadian $	0.6595	0.6544
Euro	1.5163	1.5281

Commodities

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Gold	AM	PM
London Gold Fix ($US)	$1,113.25	$1,105.50

Oil	Open	Change
WTI Crude Future (US)	$73.35	-$1.070 or -1.44

(12/21/09)