Canada’s main stock index had its worst day in nearly four months as stock markets around the world tumbled on worries that economic growth will be hurt by the effects of the coronavirus from China.

The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 122.82 points at 17,442.52.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 453.98 points at 28,535.80. The S&P 500 index was down 51.84 points at 3,243.63, while the Nasdaq composite was down 175.60 points at 9,139.31.

The Canadian dollar traded for US75.86¢ compared with an average of US76.10¢ on Friday.

The March crude contract was down US$1.05 at US$53.14 per barrel and the March natural gas contract was up 0.8 of a cent at US$1.88 per mmBTU.

The February gold contract was up US$5.50 at US$1,577.40 an ounce and the March copper contract was down US8.75¢ at US$2.60 a pound.