TORONTO -- Weakness in oil and gas shares weighed on Canada's largest stock index today as the loonie nudged ahead.

The Toronto Stock Exchanges's S&P/TSX composite index fell 58.20 points to 15,742.20, with the energy sector leading decliners.

The November crude contract was down 70 cents to US$50.60 per barrel.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average gave back 31.88 points to 22,841.01. The S&P 500 index inched down 4.31 points to 2,550.93 and the Nasdaq composite index dropped 12.04 points to 6,591.51.

The Canadian dollar was trading at an average price of 80.18 cents US, up 0.17 of a cent.

Elsewhere in commodities, the December gold contract advanced $7.60 to US$1,296.50 an ounce, the November natural gas contract was up 10 cents at US$2.99 per mmBTU, and the December copper contract gained two cents at US$3.12 a pound.