S&P/TSX composite down more than 200 points amid renewed COVID-19 variant fears

Photo: The Canadian Press

Canada's main stock index tumbled down more than 200 points in late-morning trading amid fresh worries about the latest COVID-19 variant, while U.S. stock markets also fell.

The S&P/TSX composite index was down 279.80 points at 20,869.20.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 525.99 points at 34,609.95. The S&P 500 index was down 65.40 points at 4,589.87, while the Nasdaq composite was down 219.14 points at 15,563.69.

The Canadian dollar traded for 78.15 cents US compared with 78.34 cents US on Monday.

The January crude oil contract was down US$2.75 at US$67.20 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was down 34 cents at US$4.52 per mmBTU.

The February gold contract was down US$3.50 at US$1,781.70 an ounce and the March copper contract was down six cents at US$4.28 a pound.