Toronto stocks were higher at midday getting a boost from energy stocks. The S&P/TSX composite index was up 31.20 points or 0.35% at 8,828.25 on a volume of 150 million shares.

Seven of the TSX’s 10 sectors were higher. Energy stocks led the way up 1.05%. Energy stocks climbed as the price of U.S. light crude oil for November delivery rose 61¢ to $US51.70 on the New York Mercantile Exchange following the release of the weekly crude inventory data, which showed a smaller-than-expected rise in stocks.

There were also gains in the heavily weighted financial services group, up 0.365%.

Mining stocks were also stronger as copper and aluminum futures hit nine-year highs in London, pushing up the material’s group 0.52%.

Teck Cominco jumped $1.15 to $28.65, and Alcan was 72¢ higher at $61.94.

Shares of Open Text fell more than 22%, a day after the company cut its earnings forecast for the first quarter. Open Text shares were off $5.55 at $19.85.

Air Canada and WestJet reported higher traffic and passenger loads in September, the airlines said Wednesday.

Air Canada said it flew 9.5 per cent more passenger miles last month than it did in September of 2003. Its load factor (the percentage of available seats actually filled with paying customers) rose to 79.2 per cent – a record for September.

ACE shares were off $1.35 to $22.44; Westjet shares climbed 16¢ to $13.51.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index was up 4.09 points at 1,663.00.

On Wall Street, stocks seesawed in a narrow range as investors eyed another rise in oil prices and prepared for Friday’s big monthly payrolls report.

At midday, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 7.52 points to 10,185.20, and the S&P 500 was up 2.20 to 1,136.68.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index was ahead 2.81 points at 1,958.31.