The Toronto stock market chalked up a small gain on Thursday, helped by a surge in shares from Rogers Communications Inc.

The S&P/TSX composite index was ahead 19.93 points at 15,264.64 as the telecommunications sector led advancers.

Shares in Rogers rallied after the media company reported a 35% increase in second-quarter profits amid strong wireless subscriber growth.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 28.97 points to 21,611.78, the S&P 500 index dipped 0.38 of a point to 2,473.45 and the Nasdaq composite index rose to a record high for a third session in a row, gaining 4.96 points to 6,390.00.

The Canadian dollar was trading at an average price of US79.46¢, up 0.06 of a cent.

In commodities, the September crude oil contract lost US40¢ to US$46.92 a barrel and the August natural gas contract dipped US2¢ to US$3.04 per mmBTU.

The August gold contract was up US$3.50 to US$1,245.50 an ounce and the September copper contract was up US1¢ to US$2.72 a pound