TSX recap: Index closes 1.46% lower amid broad-based losses

Canada's main stock index fell by almost 1.5 per cent Thursday with broad-based declines, while U.S. stock markets fell even further a day after the U.S. Federal Reserve raised its key interest rate and said it expects rates still needed to go higher.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index was down 291.02 points, or 1.46 points, at 19,600.63.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 764.13 points, or 2.25 per cent, at 33,202.65. The S&P 500 Index was down 99.57 points, or 2.49 per cent, at 3,895.75, while the Nasdaq Composite was down 360.36 points, or 3.23 per cent, at 10,810.53.

The Canadian dollar traded for 73.31 cents U.S. compared with 73.74 cents U.S. on Wednesday.

The January crude oil contract was down US$1.17 at US$76.11 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was up 54 cents at US$6.97 per mmBTU.

The February gold contract was down US$30.90 at US$1,787.80 an ounce and the March copper contract was down 12 cents at US$3.76 a pound.