Canada's main stock index edged lower Thursday, with losses in technology and industrials buoyed by energy stocks, while U.S. stock markets were also down.  

The S&P/TSX Composite Index was down 34.79 points, or 0.17 per cent, at 20,341.44.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 252.40 points at 33,044.56. The S&P 500 Index was down 30.01 points at 3,898.85, while the Nasdaq Composite was down 104.74 points at 10,852.27.

The Canadian dollar traded for 74.23 cents U.S. compared with 74.41 cents U.S. on Wednesday.

The March crude oil contract was up 81 cents at US$80.61 per barrel and the February natural gas contract was down four cents at US$3.28 per mmBTU.

The February gold contract was up US$16.90 at US$1,923.90 an ounce and the March copper contract was down less than a penny at US$4.23 a pound.