A daylong trading halt on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the TSX Venture Exchange left Canadian investors in limbo on Wednesday, after the exchanges experienced technical problems with data feeds.

TMX Group announced that the exchanges would not open for trading on Wednesday to “ensure market integrity,” since the data feeds provide information to investors to guide their trading decisions.

Meanwhile on Wednesday, oil futures tumbled 8% despite news that the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries would cut 4.2 million barrels a day from its actual September production level of 29.05 million barrels a day, effective Jan. 1.

Crude for January delivery fell US$3.54 to end at US$40.06 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Gold for February delivery rose US$25.80, or 3.1%, to end at US$868.50 an ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange. So far this week, the precious metal has gained US$48 since last Friday’s closing level of US$820.50.

American equities fluctuated between positive and negative territory and ultimately finished in the red, pulled down by utilities and financials.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 99.8 points, or 1.1%, to finish at 8,824.34.

The Nasdaq composite index slipped 10.58 points, or 0.7%, to end the day at 1,579.31.

The S&P 500 index dipped 8.76 points, or 1%, to close at 904.42, dragged down by technology and energy shares.

Shares of Canadian energy giant EnCana Corp. dipped 3% in trading on the New York Stock Exchange to US$46.36.

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. fell 2.6% to US$39.57.

Petro-Canada’s stock gained 1% to US$24.46 on the NYSE.

Shares of Goldcorp Inc. fell 3.3% on the NYSE to US$30.62, while Barrick Gold Corp. shares rose 1.7% to US$35.49.

The Canadian dollar moved higher by 0.35¢ to finish at US83.56¢.

IE