Strength in energy and commodity stocks helped the Toronto Stock Exchange enjoy another day of strong gains on Wednesday.

The S&P/TSX composite index gained 131.49 points, or 1.3%, to close at 10,232.44.

The materials group surged 3% as gold futures edged higher. Gold for June delivery rose US$10.70, or 1.2%, to end at US$937.40 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.

The sub-gold index rose 4.4%.

Shares of Barrick Gold Corp. jumped 5.6% to $41.53 and Goldcorp Inc. gained $2.49, or 6.3%, to $42.14.

Also higher was Kinross Gold Corp., up 5.1% to $21.31 and Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd., up 5.2% to $64.76.

The energy group gained 2.2% on Wednesday, helped by an advance in oil futures after news that crude inventories declined by more than expected last week. Crude for July delivery gained US$1.94, or 3.2%, to end US$62.04 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Suncor Energy Inc. gained 3.4% to $36.26 and Talisman Energy Inc. rose 3.3% to $17.51.

Also higher was Canadian Natural Resources Ltd., up 2.5% to $63.59 and Imperial Oil Ltd., up 2.1% to $43.19.

Financial stocks gained 0.5% during Wednesday’s trading.

National Bank of Canada gained 2% to $48.44 and IGM Financial Inc. rose 2.7% to $38.48.

Bank of Nova Scotia advanced 1.5% to $36.81.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index also made gains, adding 9.15 points, or 0.9%, to close at 1,085.64.

The loonie added US1.21¢ to finish at US87.69¢, after a report from Statistics Canada showed that the inflation rate slowed in April

In New York, a slide in financial stocks pulled the U.S. main indexes into negative territory by day’s end.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell from triple digit gains earlier in the day, to end at 8,422.04, down 52.81 points, or 0.6%.

The S&P 500 index shed 4.66 points, or 0.5%, to 903.47.

The Nasdaq composite index declined 6.70 points, or 0.4%, to 1,727.84.

IE