Toronto stocks ended lower Thursday, brought down by a sliding energy sector, despite gains in gold stocks and financials.

The S&P/TSX composite index fell 38.21 points, or 0.37%, to 10,245.45.

Volume on the senior exchange was 193 million shares.

Six of the 10 TSX main groups finished down, with the energy sector falling 1.32%

Light, sweet crude for December delivery was up 43¢ to US$61.09 barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Suncor Energy Inc. announced a third-quarter profit of $341 million, compared with $337 million in the same period in 2004. Its shares were off 15¢, or 0.29%, to $52.05.

EnCana Corp. fell $2.27, or 4.05%, to $53.73, while Canadian Natural Resources dropped $1.09, or 2.24%, to $47.51.

The December contract for gold ended up $2.60 to US$475.60 an ounce on the Nymex.

Bema Gold lifted 11¢, or 3.90%, to $2.93.

The financials sector gained 0.48%. The Royal Bank of Canada was up $1.24, or 1.52%, to $82.99.

Sun Life Financial Inc. said its third-quarter profit slipped 2.1% due to a $51 million after-tax charge related to the sale of a Chilean investment.

The insurer said net income for the quarter was $430 million or 74¢ a share, compared with $439 million, or 73¢ a share, in the year-before quarter. Sun Life’s shares closed up 60¢, or 1.4%, at $43.30.

Shaw Communications reported a net profit of $66.4 million, or 29¢ per share, in the fourth quarter, up from $28.9 million last year. Nevertheless, its shares fell 28¢, or 1.18%, to $23.38.

Placer Dome reported its third-quarter profit fell to US$34 million, from US$148 in the same period last year. Its shares increased 24¢, or 1.28%, to $19.04.

Domtar Inc. announced a third-quarter loss of $52 million from a $29 million profit a year ago. Domtar shares tumbled $1.05, or 16.67%, to $5.25, after hitting an intraday low of $5.09.

The Canadian dollar ended down 0.08 of a cent at US85.33¢.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index ended essentially flat, up 0.74 of a point at 1,992.57.

In New York, a decline in durable goods orders in September, plus the perceived weakness of General Motors, around which bankruptcy rumors swirl, led the market lower.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 115.03 points, or 1.1%, to 10,229.95. The Nasdaq composite index fell 36.24 points, or 1.7%, to 2,063.81. The S&P 500 was down 12.48 points, or 1.1%, to 1,178.90.

The U.S. Commerce Department said orders for long-lasting durable goods fell 2.1% in September, after a 3.8% jump in August.