Toronto stocks ended slightly down Wednesday, as a drop in resource stocks offset gains in the financial sector.

The S&P/TSX composite index drifted down 6.07 points, or 0.05%, to 12,195.08, after hitting an early session high of 12,226.60 and mid-day low of 12,153.98.

Half of the 10 TSX main sub-groups were down, with the energy sector off 0.82%.

Light, sweet crude for October delivery closed down $1.34 at US$71.76 a barrel.

Nexen Inc. fell 69¢, or 1.04%, to $65.75.

The materials sector lost 0.68%, with the gold index losing 0.27%.

Gold for December delivery ended down $1 at US$633 an ounce.

Goldcorp Inc. fell 27¢, or 0.79%, to $33.81.

The financials sector moved up 0.87% as two more of the country’s Big Six banks report quarterly numbers this week.

Bank of Nova Scotia gained 50¢, or 1.02%, to $49.36.

The Canadian dollar closed 0.21 of a cent higher at US89.86¢.

The S&P/TSX Venture Exchange index was up 7.74, or 0.29%, to 2,641.91.

In New York, markets were lower as investors showed concern over geopolitical stability.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 41.94 points at 11,297.90. The Nasdaq composite index fell 15.36 points to 2,134.66 while the S&P 500 lost 5.83 points to 1,292.99