S&P/TSX composite posts triple-digit decline in early trading, U.S. markets fall

Photo: The Canadian Press

Losses in the energy sector in early trading led a triple-digit decline for Canada's main stock index on Friday, while U.S. stock markets also fell.

The S&P/TSX composite index was down 112.44 points at 20,031.60.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 373.48 points at 33,449.97. The S&P 500 index was down 35.91 points at 4,185.95, while the Nasdaq composite was down 73.91 points at 14,087.44.

The Canadian dollar traded for 80.71 cents US compared with 81.03 cents US on Thursday.

The August crude oil contract was down 24 cents at US$70.54 per barrel and the July natural gas contract was down six cents at US$3.20 per mmBTU.

The August gold contract was up 90 cents at US$1,775.70 an ounce and the July copper contract was up less than a penny at US$4.18 a pound.