TORONTO (Reuters) - Toronto's main stock index closed sharply lower for a second consecutive session yesterday as worries about the global economy spurred risk aversion, pulling down weighty energy and bank shares.

Early dealings were choppy with steady commodity prices, which initially supported the resource-heavy Toronto market.

But, as the session wore on, the price of oil turned negative and economic concerns weighed on investor sentiment, pulling the TSX down more than one percent.

The price of oil settled below $63 a barrel as investors sought safer havens, which contributed to the weakening energy group, down 1.22 percent. Canadian Natural Resources dropped 1.72 percent to C$54.94.

Nagging concerns about the state of the US economy, triggered by last week's gloomy jobs report, continued to reverberate through the market.

"I think it caused people to take some chips off the table. Now it seems to have accelerated," said Ian Nakamoto, director of research at MacDougall, MacDougall & MacTier.

The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 183.08 points, or 1.83 percent, at 9,844.35, the second consecutive triple digit point-loss in as many days. It fell more than 255 points on Monday.

Overall, nine of the market's 10 main groups finished lower, led down by financials, which lost 2.5 percent.

Royal Bank of Canada was the most influential decliner, falling four percent to C$45.78, while Bank of Nova Scotia shed 3.1 percent to C$41.39.

Steady gold prices helped cushion the TSX's slide as the weighty materials group fell 0.61 percent.

Seven of the index's top 10 most influential advancers were gold and metals companies, including Goldcorp - the biggest mover to the upside - which rose 1.3 percent to C$39.61.