Canada's main stock index sank Wednesday, pulled down by the energy and financial sectors as mounting apprehensions over the global banking sector spread, while U.S. markets were mixed as the tech sector held its own.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index was down 315.32 points, or 1.6 per cent, at 19,378.84.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 280.83 points at 31,874.57. The S&P 500 Index was down 27.36 points at 3,891.93, while the Nasdaq Composite was up 5.90 points at 11,434.05.

The Canadian dollar traded for 72.58 cents U.S., compared with 73.12 cents U.S. on Tuesday.

The April crude contract was down US$3.72 at US$67.61 per barrel and the April natural gas contract was down 13 cents at US$2.44 per mm/BTU.

The April gold contract was up US$20.40 at US$1,931.30 an ounce and the May copper contract was down 16 cents at US$3.84 a pound.