TORONTO -- Canada's main stock index dropped for the first time in four trading sessions on a broad-based decline led by the energy sector.

The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 98.71 points to 17,916.20.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 12.37 points at 31,176.01. The S&P 500 index was up 1.22 points at 3,853.07, while the Nasdaq composite was up 73.67 points at 13,530.92.

The Canadian dollar traded for 79.20 cents US compared with 79.01 cents US on Wednesday.

The March crude oil contract was down 18 cents at US$53.13 per barrel and the March natural gas contract was down 3.6 cents at US$2.50 per mmBTU.

The February gold contract was down 60 cents US at US$1,865.90 an ounce and the March copper contract was up less than a penny at nearly US$3.65 a pound.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 21, 2021.