Toronto stocks nudged ahead Monday, as a strong day in the financial index offset losses in the energy group.

The S&P/TSX composite index finished up 6.34, or 0.06%, to 10,681.18.

Volume on the senior exchange was 201 million shares.

Eight of the 10 TSX main sub-groups were up, but the energy sector, which fell 2.26%, dragged down the rest of the market.

A barrel of light crude fell $1.11 to settle at US$59.47 on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Suncor Energy fell 2.28, or 4.02%, to $54.40.

EnCana Corp. announced it will boost production from its oilsands reserves. Its shares fell 2.30, or 4.11%, to $53.70.

The financial sector moved ahead 1.01%.

Industrial Alliance Insurance offered $273-million to purchase Clarington, topping a bid by CI Financial. The IA bid has received the blessing of Clarington’s board.

Industrial Alliance gained 14¢, or 0.49%, to $28.71, Clarington lifted $1.30, or 10.16%, to $14.10, and CI Financial fell 25¢, or 1.10%, to $22.50.

In other corporate news, U.S. private equity firm Golden Gate Capital bid US$1 billion for Markham, Ont.-based Geac Computer Corp., a deal Geac has agreed to. Shares in Geac shot up $2.34, or 22.52%, to $12.73.

Telus Corp and its unionized workers reached another tentative agreement. Shares lifted $1.30, or 2.86%, to $46.75.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index ended flat, off 0.30 a point at 2,030.33.

In New York, lower oil prices spurred markets higher.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 55.47 points, or 0.53%, to 10,586.23, the S&P 500 index was up 2.67, or 0.22%, at 1,222.81, and the Nasdaq composite index advanced 8.81, or 0.41%, to 2,178.24.