Toronto stocks ended their winning streak Wednesday, led by losses in resources shares.

The S&P/TSX composite index fell 41.08 points, or 0.3% to 13,142.25.

Overall, eight of the 10 TSX main groups were lower, led by a 1% fall in the energy sector amid a sharp drop in the price of oil.

U.S. crude was down $1.17 to US$57.71 a barrel, erasing earlier gains, as investors took some profits after prices climbed on frigid weather, which prompted heating oil demand.

Talisman Energy slid 55¢, or 2.6%, to $20.25, while Nexen Inc. shed $1.82, or 2.5% , to $71.03.

The resource-laden materials group lost 0.6%, pulled lower by weakness in some metal prices, including gold. Barrick Gold Corp fell 21¢, or 0.6%, to $35.89.

Shares in Cameco, the world’s largest uranium producer, fell $1.07 to $43.78 as earnings dropped $43 million in the fourth quarter to $40 million.

The information-technology sector was up 2.3%, with shares in Nortel ahead $2.83, or 9.2%, to $33.50 after the telecom equipment maker announced it is shedding 2,900 jobs over this year and next.

The telecom sector also helped push the TSX lower. Shares in BCE Inc. fell $1.01 to $30.29 after it said its fourth-quarter profit soared 69% to $699 million after one-time gains and restructuring costs.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index edged 5.21 points lower to 2,985.41.

The Canadian dollar was down 0.15 of a cent to US84.4¢.

In New York, U.S. tech stocks rose, led by Cisco Systems, whose strong profits and outlook reinforced optimism over earnings.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index gained 19.01 points, 0.77%, to 2,490.5

The blue-chip Dow Jones industrials inched up 0.56 of a point to 12,666.87, and the S&P 500 index gained 2.02 points to 1,450.02.