Toronto stocks closed lower today, ending an historic session where the C$ reached parity with the US$ in intra-day trading, as worries of higher royalty rates in the Alberta oilpatch weighed down the market.

The S&P/TSX composite index fell 101.35, or 0.73%, to 13,838.43.

The C$ closed at 99.87 cents US, up 1.37 cents, after breaking through the parity level in the late morning and reaching a high of US$1.0008.

Nine of the 10 TSX main sub-groups were down on the session.

The energy index fell 1.19% despite the surging price of oil.

Light sweet crude for October delivery closed up US$1.39 to US$83.32 a barrel, a new record high.

Imperial Oil Ltd. fell 42 cents to $49.20.

The materials index gained 1.93%, while the gold rose 2.78%.

Gold futures continued their ascent, closing up US$10.40 an ounce at US$739.90.

Kinross Gold Corp. gained 53 cents, or 3.61%, to $15.22.

The S&P TSX Venture Exchange gained 42.40, or 1.54%, to 2,800.85.

In New York, markets moved down as investors retreated from the strong gains of the last two sessions.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 42.86, or 0.35%, to 13,766.70, and the Nasdaq composite index drifted down 12.19, or 0.46%, to 2,654.29. The S&P500 fell 10.28, or 0.67%, to 1,518.75.