Toronto stocks moved ahead Wednesday, enjoying an uptick in the energy sector.

The S&P/TSX composite index finished up 23.04 points, or 0.19%, to 11,970.65.

Six of the 10 TSX main sub-groups were up, with the energy sector gaining 0.86%.

The benchmark May contract for crude oil ended down 57¢ at US$61.77 a barrel, despite an inventory report showing supplies had declined.

EnCana Corp. gained 31¢, or 0.58%, to $53.96.

The information technology sector fell 1.05%. Nortel Networks fell 4¢, or 1.19%, to $3.31.

The materials sector moved up 0.47%, despite a drop in the price of bullion.

Gold futures fell $1.50 to close at US$551.70 an ounce, on a rebounding U.S. dollar.

Kinross Gold Corp. gained 13¢, or 1.16%, to $11.30.

The S&P/TSX Venture composite index moved up 15.40, or 0.58%, to 2,682.72.

In New York, markets ended higher on encouraging corporate news. The gains were enough to push the Dow Jones industrial average to a new five-year high.

The Dow rose 81.96 points to 11,317.43, the index’s highest close since May 2001. The Nasdaq Composite Index rose 9.12 points to 2,303.35 and the S&P 500 Index gained 7.81 points to 1,305.04.