Stock markets are up modestly on the last full day of trading before the Christmas break, after mixed economic news from Canada and the United States.

In Toronto, the S&P/TSX composite index rose 16.13 points this morning to 9,267.30. The TSX Venture Exchange is up 9.58 points to 1,761.12.

Strength on the Toronto market was found in the gold sector as shares of Meridian Gold rose 65¢ at $23.44, and Placer Dome climbed 25¢ at $23.37.

The Canadian dollar is up 0.39 of a cent to 80.94 cents U.S.

Early this morning Statistics Canada reported that there was no growth in Canada’s gross domestic product in October – the second month in a row that economy stood at standstill.

The Dow Jones industrial average has gained 38.35 points to 10,854.24. The Nasdaq is up 7.59 points at 2,164.62, while the S&P 500 has risen 3.14 points to 1,212.71.

In the U.S., consumers boosted their spending by a modest 0.2% in November. Meanwhile, orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket manufactured goods rebounded in November, rising by 1.6%, says the U.S. Commerce Department. Excluding orders for transportation equipment, orders fell by 0.8%.

Overseas, London’s FTSE 100 index is up 9.3 points to 4,786.7. Frankfurt’s DAX 30 is up 0.19%, while the Paris CAC 40 is up a mere 0.36%.