North American markets close in the red after up-and-down day of trading

Photo: The Canadian Press

A group of men walk past the Toronto-Dominion Centre on Wellington Street in the financial district in Toronto on Wednesday, September 29, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Evan Buhler

Canada's main stock index fell slightly on the Tuesday after the August long weekend, while U.S. markets also closed in the red after a day of mixed trading.

The S&P/TSX composite index was down 187.59 points at 19,505.33.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 402.23 points at 32,396.17. The S&P 500 index was down 27.44 points at 4,091.19, while the Nasdaq composite was down 20.22 points at 12,348.76.

The Canadian dollar traded for 77.78 cents US compared with 77.98 cents US on Friday.

The September crude contract was up 53 cents at US$94.42 per barrel and the September natural gas contract was down 58 cents at US$7.71.

The December gold contract was up US$2 at US$1,789.70 an ounce and the September copper contract was down two cents at US$3.52 a pound.