Canada's main stock index was down on Thursday, weighed down by losses in the energy sector as the price of oil fell, while U.S. stock markets were also lower.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index was down 50.14 points, or 0.24 per cent, at 20,630.69.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 110.39 points at 33,786.62. The S&P 500 Index was down 24.73 points at 4,129.79, while the Nasdaq Composite was down 97.67 points at 12,059.56.

The Canadian dollar traded for 74.24 cents U.S. compared with 74.38 cents U.S. on Wednesday.

The June crude contract was down US$1.87 at US$77.37 per barrel and the May natural gas contract was up three cents at US$2.25 per mm/BTU.

The June gold contract was up US$11.80 at US$2,019.10 an ounce and the May copper contract was down five cents at US$4.03 a pound.