Strength in energy stocks Thursday wasn't enough to keep Canada's main stock index from posting a loss amid weakness in tech and other sectors, while U.S. markets also declined. 

The S&P/TSX Composite Index was down 86.84 points, or 0.44 per cent, at 19,812.23.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 290.91 points at 34,474.83. The S&P 500 Index was down 33.97 points at 4,370.36, while the Nasdaq Composite was down 157.70 points at 13,316.93.

The Canadian dollar traded for 73.94 cents U.S. compared with 73.98 cents U.S. on Wednesday.

The October crude contract was up 88 cents U.S. at US$79.90 per barrel and the September natural gas contract was up three cents at US$2.62 per mm/BTU.

The December gold contract was down US$13.10 at US$1,915.20 an ounce and the September copper contract was up three cents at US$3.69 a pound.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 17, 2023.