Canada's main stock index moved lower as investors await an interest rate decision from the Bank of Canada Wednesday, while U.S. stock markets also posted losses. 

The S&P/TSX Composite Index was down 131.60 points, or 0.64 per cent, at 20,413.76.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 195.74 points at 34,641.97. The S&P 500 Index was down 18.94 points at 4,496.83, while the Nasdaq Composite was down 10.86 points at 14,020.95.

The Canadian dollar traded for 73.38 cents U.S. compared with 73.64 cents U.S. on Friday.

The October crude contract was up US$1.14 at US$86.69 per barrel and the October natural gas contract was down 18 cents at US$2.58 per mm/BTU.

The December gold contract was down US$14.50 at US$1,952.60 an ounce and the December copper contract was down a less than a penny at US$3.85 a pound.