Toronto stocks slipped on Wednesday ahead of Thursday’s highly anticipated domestic employment report for March. The S&P/TSX composite index fell 25.12 points to 8,807.59 on volume of 247.5 million shares.

Only the TSX energy sector finished in positive territory, rising 0.65%.

Fierce fighting in Iraq helped underpin crude oil prices, which also found support in a drop in U.S. crude and gasoline inventories.

Suncor Energy was up 59¢ at $34.25 while Penn West Petroleum rose 85¢ to $61.85.

After the market closed, Research In Motion said its fourth-quarter profit more than doubled.

The company also announced plans for a two-for-one stock split.

RIM, said it made $41.5 million, or 46¢ per share, in the three-month period ended Feb. 28. That reverses a year-earlier loss in the comparable quarter of $31 million, or 40¢ per share.

RIM shares ended the day down $2.84 at $141.16.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index inched up 1.86 points to finish at 1,881.67.

In New York, stocks fell as aluminum producer Alcoa disappointed Wall Street with its earnings and unrest in Iraq resurfaced to nag at investors.

Seagate Technology also warned earnings would fall short of an already reduced forecast.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 90.66 points at 10,480.15. The S&P 500 finished down 7.65 points at 1,140.51. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index fell 9.66 points to 2,050.24.

Shares of Yahoo rose after the bell on Wednesday after the company said quarterly profit and revenue rose from a year ago.

The Canadian dollar eased slightly against the U.S. greenback as traders focused on the highly anticipated domestic jobs report due Thursday. The loonie finished at US76.36¢, down slightly from US76.42¢ at Tuesday’s close.