North American markets ended the trading day in the red, with Canada's main stock index down more than 150 points and U.S. stock markets also lower.

The S&P/TSX composite index was down 165.98 points, or 0.84 per cent, at 19,560.16.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 173.27 points at 30,961.82. The S&P 500 index was down 44.66 points at 3,901.35, while the Nasdaq composite was down 167.32 points at 11,552.36.

The Canadian dollar traded for 75.76 cents US compared with 75.95 cents US on Wednesday.

The October crude contract was down US$3.38 at US$85.10 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was down 79 cents at US$8.32 per mmBTU.

The December gold contract was down US$31.80 at US$1,677.30 an ounce and the December copper contract was down three cents at US$3.49 a pound.

-- With files from BNN Bloomberg