The benchmark index of the Toronto Stock Exchange crept higher on Tuesday as strength in energy shares was offset by losses in the financials group.

The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 10.11 points, or 0.08%, at 13,299.07. Five of the 10 main TSX groups made gains.

The financials group fell 1.1% after Bank of Nova Scotia and Bank of Montreal released weaker than expected third-quarter earnings.

Scotiabank fell 2.5% to $46.45. The bank’s profit dipped 2%, as provisions for credit losses climbed and revenue from capital markets fell.

BMO shares eased 0.3% to $43.94 as its profit tumbled 21% on larger loan-loss provisions due to weak U.S. real estate markets.

CIBC shares gave back 85¢ to $57.06. The bank reports its results on Wednesday.

National Bank of Canada shares closed down 66¢ at $46.86, after the bank sold its dominant stake in a New York specialty investment shop to Credit Suisse Group.

The bank said it expects to show a pre-tax gain of about $65 million on the sale of most of its interest in Asset Management Finance Corp. National reports its results on Thursday.

The heavy-weight energy group rose 1.4% as oil rose above US$116 a barrel on growing worries that Hurricane Gustav could threaten U.S. oil and natural gas installations in the Gulf of Mexico.

Canadian Natural Resources was up 1.7% at $87.55, while Imperial Oil rose 2.2% to $53.98.

Among individual stocks, Transcontinental Inc. class A shares gained 60¢ to close at $15.70 after the company announced a $1.7 billion contract to print the Globe and Mail in most markets outside the Prairies. Transcontinental is the parent company of Investment Executive.

Shares in Maple Leaf Foods Inc. were down 81¢ or 9.2% to $7.99 after losing about 10% Monday. So far six deaths have been attributed an outbreak of listeriosis linked to the company, while another six are still under investigation.

Soft drink maker Cott Corp. cut its profit outlook for 2008. Its shares fell 41¢ or 15.9% to $2.17.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index gained 2.59 points, or 0.13%, to finish at 1,942.60.

The Canadian dollar rose 0.22 of cent to close at US95.38¢.

In New York, U.S. markets closed mixed following a lightly traded session.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 26.62 points, or 0.23%, at 11,412.87. The S&P 500 rose 4.66 points, or 0.37%, at 1,271.50. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite slipped 3.62 points, or 0.15%, at 2,361.97.