TSX today: Index finishes 1.61% lower amid weakness in energy

Canada's main stock index was down more than 300 points Wednesday with losses of more than four per cent in energy while most other sectors were also down, and U.S. markets also fell. 

The S&P/TSX Composite Index was down 316.06 points, or 1.61 per cent, at 19,344.25.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 646.89 points at 32,513.94. The S&P 500 Index was down 79.54 points at 3,748.57, while the Nasdaq Composite was down 263.03 points at 10,353.18.

The Canadian dollar traded for 74.18 cents U.S. compared with 74.40 cents U.S. on Tuesday.

The December crude oil contract was down US$3.08 at US$85.83 per barrel and the December natural gas contract was down 27 cents at US$5.87 per mmBTU.

The December gold contract was down US$2.30 cents at US$1,713.70 an ounce and the December copper contract was up two cents at US$3.70 a pound.