Toronto stocks edged slightly lower Thursday, as oil prices and the Canadian dollar retreated from recent highs.

The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 3.00, or 0.03%, to 11,092.81.

Volume on the senior exchange was 309 million shares.

Six of the 10 TSX main sub-groups were up, but the energy sector was off 1.02%.

Crude futures fell 86¢ to close at US$59.99 a barrel. UTS Energy Corp. gave up 10¢, or 2.23%, to $4.39, while Canadian Natural Resources was down 85¢, or 1.37%, to $61.15.

Gold futures fell $2.90 at US$506.60, off the recent highs that saw it hit a peak above $540 earlier this week. Nevertheless, the gold index moved up 1.69%.

Placer Dome Inc. gained 21¢, or 0.93%, to $25.56.

The information technology sector moved forward 0.89%

Research In Motion has decided to take its patent dispute with NTP Inc. to the U.S. Supreme Court. RIM moved up 15¢, or 0.20%, to $74.95.

The Canadian dollar closed down .60 of a cent to close at US86.22¢.

The S&P/TSX Venture composite index finished up 8.56, or 0.40%, to 2,138.09.

In New York, markets dipped slightly despite economic news that suggested inflation was in check and a favorable court ruling for tobacco giant Altria Corp.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 1.84 pints , or 0.02%, to 10,881.67, the S&P500 index dropped 1.80, or 0.14%, to 1,270.94, and the Nasdaq composite index lost 1.96, or 0.09%, to 2,260.63.