Toronto stocks rose Wednesday buoyed by gains in energy and gold issues. The S&P/TSX composite index rose 34.65 points, or 0.31%, to 11,131.47.

The materials group, home to gold stocks, led the way with 1% gain, while the energy index was next in line with a 0.77% gain.

Energy stocks managed to maintain their recent momentum even though oil prices slipped below US$60 a barrel after reports showed U.S. crude supplies rose last week.

Shares of Canadian Natural Resources rose 85¢, or 1.5%, to $57.25, while EnCana Corp. added 55¢, or nearly 1%, to $56.80.

Gold-mining shares took their cue from higher gold prices.

Barrick Gold Corp. rose 88¢, or 2.8%, to $32.08, while Placer Dome Inc. closed up 55¢, or 2%, at $26.35.

The Canadian dollar was down 0.13 of a cent to US86.29¢.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index rose 27.37 points, or 1.31%, to finish at 2,120.64.

On Wall Street, U.S. stocks fell moderately Wednesday as investors found little reason to extend a year-end buying spree.

The Dow Jones industrial average ended down 45.95 points , or 0.42%, to 10,810.91.

Broader stock indicators were lower. The S&P 500 index fell 6.33, or 0.5%, to 1,257.37, and the Nasdaq composite index fell 8.75, or 0.39%, to 2,252.01.