TORONTO -- Canada's mining and energy industries pulled the country's main stock index into a steep decline this morning.
The S&P/TSX composite index was down 126.15 points to 15,416.99, after 90 minutes of trading.
Among the biggest decliners on the TSX were Hudbay Minerals (TSX:HBM) and other mining companies as well as Canadian Natural Resources (TSX:CNQ) and other major players in Alberta's oilpatch.
The drop came as benchmark prices for oil, gold and copper were all lower during morning trading and the Canadian dollar was trading at 72.90 cents US, weaker than Wednesday.
The June crude contract was down $1.44 at US$46.38 per barrel and the June natural gas contract was down three cents at US$3.20 per mmBTU.
The June gold contract was down $18.60 at US$1,229.90 an ounce and the July copper contract was down four cents at US$2.51 a pound.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 37.54 points to 20,920.36. The S&P 500 index shed 0.98 points to 2,387.15, and the Nasdaq composite index dropped 3.66 points to 6,068.89.
