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Gold boosts record

TORONTO (Reuters) - The Toronto Stock Exchange's main index edged higher as shares of gold miners rose along with a spike in the bullion price, offsetting weakness in financials and energy issues.The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 10.63 points, or 0.1 percent, at 13,330.28, a record high close, surpassing the previous record closing high of 13,319.65 set on Tuesday.

TORONTO (Reuters) - The Toronto Stock Exchange’s main index ended lower in a mild pullback despite firmness in mining and energy issues, with Toronto-Dominion Bank also providing some buoyancy.

The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 12.30 points, or 0.1 percent, at 13,317.98.

All but two of the TSX index’s 10 main groups were lower, while the influential financial services sector was unchanged.

The lower close followed a pair of record-setting sessions and capped a trading day that saw stocks see-saw between positive and negative, said Patricia Croft, chief economist at Phillips, Hager & North.

“It just reflects there’s not a lot of conviction,” she said.

“There are still people in a bit of a quandary in terms of the outlook,” she added. “Right now there are still big question marks in terms of the outlook for global growth, energy and commodity prices, central bank policy, geopolitical factors.”

Among the mining companies that saw gains were Aur Resources, which rose C$1.21, or 5.8 percent, to C$22.19, while First Quantum Minerals climbed C$2.55, or 3.7 percent, to C$71.05.

The heavyweight energy sector reversed course to end the day up 0.2 percent as oil held steady near $61 a barrel amid U.S. inventory data showing that fuel supplies slipped last week, as well as news that Iran had failed to meet a February 21 deadline to suspend uranium enrichment.

Talisman Energy rose 28 Canadian cents, or 1.4 percent, to C$20.77, while Petro-Canada climbed 27 Canadian cents, or 0.6 percent, to C$43.96.

Financials ended the day flat with shares of TD Bank up 53 Canadian cents, or 0.8 percent, at C$70.74 after the bank’s adjusted earnings topped expectations and it hiked its dividend.

“We made another new intraday high today but we’ve got a modest pullback following that, but that’s after a fairly spectacular advance,” said Fergal Smith, managing market strategist at Action Economics.

“I don’t think anything has changed in terms of the underlying factors that are supporting the market.”