TSX ends lower as traders look ahead to jobs numbers from U.S., Canada

TORONTO -- The Toronto stock market ended lower as traders shifted their attention to upcoming jobs figures.

The S&P/TSX composite index lost 56.90 points to 14,402.21, on weakness across most major sectors.

Traders are focused on the direction of the U.S. economy ahead of the non-farm payrolls report due early Friday. Already, the week has been filled with encouraging signs of improvement.

The Institute for Supply Management's non-manufacturing index rose, while data from the U.S. Labor Department indicated that hiring remains stable at levels seen before the recession.

On Wall Street, the Dow Jones Industrials ended flat, down 0.45 of a point to 16,572.55 while the Nasdaq dropped 38.72 points to 4,237.74. The S&P 500 index fell 2.13 points to 1,888.77.

The Canadian dollar was down 0.03 of a cent at 90.59 cents US.