Toronto stocks advanced Thursday, moving over the 12,000-point plateau for the third time this year, propelled by energy and commodity prices.

The S&P/TSX composite index gained 47.26 points, or 0.39%, to 12.017.91.

Four of the 10 TSX main sub-groups were down, while two ended flat, but the energy sector moved ahead 0.98%.

The May futures contract for crude oil ended up $2.14, or 3.5% at US$63.91 a barrel.

EnCana Corp. moved up 54¢, or 1.00%, to $54.50.

The materials sector gained 1.01%, despite a fall in the price of bullion.

The benchmark April contract for gold fell 90¢ to US$555.80 an ounce.

Yamana Resources gained 15¢, or 1.55%, to 9.80.

The telecom sector fell 0.51%, as a federal review panel called on Ottawa to deregulate the industry further.

Telus Corp. fell 73¢, or 1.54%, to $46.82.

The Canadian dollar was up 0.06 of cent at US85.82¢.

The S&P/TSX Venture composite index gained 18.27, or 0.68%, to 2,700.99.

In New York, stocks ended lower oil prices rose an unexpected jump in existing home sales gave investors jitters about rising interest rates.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 47.14 points to 11,270. The Nasdaq composite index eased 3.20 points to 2,300.15, while the S&P 500 slipped 3.37 points to 1,301.67.

On the economic front, sales of existing homes in the U.S. unexpectedly rose last month by 5.2% as a warmer winter boosted demand in many parts of the country.

Shares in General Motors Corp. were off a penny to US$22 even as the automaker said it has sold off a majority stake in part of its GMAC finance division to an investment group led by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, Five Mile Capital Partners and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners for US$1.5 billion in cash.