The Toronto Stock Exchange is reported to witness its first bad day in three sessions yesterday attributed to the weakness in the mining sector.

The S&P/TSX composite index registered slip 14.18 points, or 0.1%, to 12,196.51, as weakness in materials offset gains in financials and energy.

"If you're looking for something that's safe and something that's going to be around for the next century, I can understand why people are looking at the [banking] sector", quoted, Fred Ketchen, Director of Equity Trading with ScotiaMcLeod in Toronto.

Energy shares witnessed a growth prompted by crude oil climb US4¢ to US$86.19 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Gold registered a jump of US$2.60 touching US$1,183.30 a barrel in New York, however, was not suffice to protect the TSX materials sector from losses.

In addition, copper plunged by US6¢ to US$3.29 a pound.

Moreover, Copper producer Teck Resources Ltd. was seen lowered by 2.8% to $38.80 on the TSX, while Barrick Gold Corp. marked a fall 2.2% to $43.34.

However, the Canadian dollar roused 51 basis points touching US98.95¢. The TSX Venture composite index was lowered 8.26 points, or 0.5%, to 1,665.54.