Canada's benchmark stock index fell Wednesday primarily due to heavy losses among health-care and tech stocks.

The Toronto Stock Exchange's benchmark Standard & Poor's/TSX Composite Index fell 39.02 points, or 0.26 percent, to end the day at 15,217.33. Of the index's 10 main sector groups, seven finished in the red.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International and the heavily weighted financials group led broad declines.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. lost 1.58 Canadian dollars (1.24 U.S. dollars), or 9.4 percent, to 17.89 Canadian dollars (14.09 dollars), after the company said its subsidiaries in Australia were the subject of a tax audit.

Energy stocks dropped 0.5 percent despite higher oil prices.

Information technology fell 1.24 percent, hurt by a 16.6 percent plunge to 66.50 Canadian dollars (52.38 dollars) in Kinaxis Inc. stock. Kinaxis shares fell after the supply chain management software maker cut its forecast.

Gold royalty and streaming company Franco-Nevada Corp. jumped 3.57, or 3.9 percent, to 95.65 Canadian dollars (75.33 dollars) after reporting quarterly results late on Tuesday.

The Canadian dollar edged down 0.20 cents to 78.73 U.S. cents, while oil prices gained 39 cents to 49.56 U.S. dollars a barrel and gold prices increased 19.10 to 1,281.70 U.S. dollars an ounce.