Toronto stocks dipped a bit Wednesday, as lower oil prices depressed the energy sector, offsetting gains among financials.

The S&P/TSX composite index fell 8.06, or 0.07%, to 12,321.73.

Seven of the 10 TSX main sub-groups were up, but the energy index dropped back 1.32%.

Crude oil futures closed down 95¢ at US$71.93 a barrel.

EnCana Corp. gained 52¢, or 0.90%, to $58.12.

The materials sector was up 0.72%. Gold for June delivery gained $7.80 at $642 an ounce.

Goldcorp Inc. gained 74¢, or 1.93%, to $39.10.

The financial sector was up 0.64%. The Royal Bank of Canada gained $1.26, or 2.68%, to $48.22.

The Canadian dollar gained 0.25 of a cent to US88.61¢, its highest close in almost 15 years.

The S&P/TSX Venture Exchange index was off 0.66, or 0.02%, to 3,094.33.

In New York, markets closed higher on strong corporate and economic news.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 71.24 points to 11,354.49, its best finish since January 2000.

The Nasdaq Composite Index rose 3.33 points to 2,333.63, while the S&P 500 Index gained 3.67 points to 1,305.41.