A barrage of earnings reports failed to lift the TSE composite index (formerly the TSE 300 Composite Index). The renamed benchmark fell 16.10 points to 7,647.30.

Overall, seven of the TSX’s newly-reclassified 13 industry groups gained ground.

The technology subgroup fell 2.77%. Nortel Networkds tumbled 34¢.

Golds were up 1.21%, buoyed by rising bullion prices. Barrick Gold rose 49¢ to $32.14.

TD Bank fell $1.57 to $40.30 after it raised its loan loss provisions because of exposure to Teleglobe and Argentina.

Royal Bank climbed 93¢ to $55.90, CIBC was off $1 to $53.70 and Scotiabank, adding $1.01 to $54.96.

Sun Life Financial fell a penny to $34.40. It reported higher profits as its U.S. acquisitions started to pay off.

Lower energy prices led to lower profits for Talisman Energy and Husky Energy. Talisman rose 74¢ to $67.74. Huskey added 20¢ to $16.20.

Toronto volume was 190.5 million shares worth $3 billion.

The S&P/CDNX Composite Index also closed down. The index of venture capital stocks slipped 0.28 points to 1,158.17. Trading was heavy on a volume of 39 million shares.

In New York, after selling off in the first half of the session Wednesday, the major averages staged a furious rally that allowed the Dow Jones industrial average to end with a triple-digit gain and the Nasdaq to finish well above its worst level of the day.

The Dow closed with a gain of 113.41 points at 10,059.63. The Nasdaq ended down by 10.70 points at 1,677.53. The S&P 500 tacked on 9.54 points, or 0.9%, to 10,86.46.

The Canadian dollar soared to its highest level in more than six months Wednesday. The loonie closed at US64.07¢ on Wednesday, up US0.31¢.