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The Toronto stock market was little changed Wednesday amid strong economic data from the United States.

The market failed to find lift from the Greek government's move to reassure markets that it can meet the conditions for a crucial bailout.

The S&P/TSX composite index edged up 12.37 points to 12,366.84, supported by higher gold stocks and well received earnings reports from Talisman Energy (TSX:TLM) and Cenovus Energy (TSX:CVE). The TSX Venture Exchange gained 10.62 points to 1,640.65.



Higher commodity prices and a willingness to buy into riskier currencies such as the Canadian dollar pushed the loonie up 0.18 of a cent to 100.23 cents US.



New York markets were mixed amid a strong reading on U.S. factory output.



The Dow Jones industrials lost 35.61 points to 12,842.67.



The Federal Reserve said manufacturing output increased 0.7 per cent in January. And it soared a 1.5 per cent in December. December's figure was revised sharply up to the biggest gain since December 2006.



The Nasdaq composite index gained 16.50 points to 2,948.33 while the S&P 500 index advanced 1.85 points to 1,352.35.



Greece's finance minister said all pending issues in its international creditors' requirements for the country's second bailout will be completed ahead of a Wednesday evening conference call between eurozone finance ministers.



A meeting between the ministers scheduled for Wednesday was called off because Athens had not met all the requirements for the 130-billion euro bailout, including plugging a 325-million euro financing gap. The ministers also demanded written guarantees from the governing coalition's party leaders that tough austerity measures will be put into place, even after elections scheduled for April.



Greece needs the bailout in order to head off default late next month.



But even as Athens rushes to meet the tough conditions to get the bailout money, officials say there are strong doubts among some of the countries that use the euro over whether a second massive bailout can actually save Greece.



The TSX gold sector led advancers, up 0.45 per cent with April gold ahead $15.40 to US$1,733.10. Goldcorp Inc. (TSX:G) gained 21 cents to $45.64.



The energy sector was up 0.32 per cent as crude advanced following announcement from Iranian state TV that the country had cut oil exports to six European countries in response to European Union sanctions, which include a boycott of new oil contracts with Iran.



The March contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange gained 96 cents to US$101.70 a barrel.



Traders also took in earnings reports from two of Canada's biggest energy companies.



Shares in Talisman Energy Inc. gained 24 cents to C$12.76 as it cut its net loss to US$117 million or 11 cents a share in the latest quarter from US$350 million a year ago. Production averaged 426,000 oil equivalent barrels a day, a nine per cent increase over the previous year. Meanwhile, annual cash flow jumped 16 per cent to $3.4 billion.



However, Cenovus Energy Inc. shook off early losses to move up 33 cents to C$38.93 as it rose its dividend 10 per cent to 22 cents a share. The oilsands operator and refiner posted quarterly net earnings of $266 million, or 35 cents per share, an increase from $78 million, or 10 cents per share, a year ago. But operating earnings were 44 cents per share, 11 cents short of expectations.



The tech sector was also supportive with Research In Motion Ltd. (TSX:RIM) ahead 31 cents to $14.86.



The mining sector lower as March copper gave up early gains and was down two cents at US$3.80 a pound. Teck Resources (TSX:TCK.B) lost 53 cents to C$38.44 and Ivanhoe Mines (TSX:IVN) rose 31 cents to $16.66.



Asian markets advanced as Tokyo's Nikkei 225 index in Tokyo soared 2.3 per cent.



The surge comes a day after the Bank of Japan announced a further loosening of monetary policy through increased purchases of government bonds, raising hopes the yen's strength could abate.



South Korea's Kospi gained 1.1 per cent, Hong Kong's Hang Seng jumped 2.1 per cent and Australia's S&P/ASX 200 index closed up 0.3 per cent.



European bourses turned mixed as London's FTSE 100 index dipped 0.22 per cent, Frankfurt's DAX rose 0.35 per cent and the Paris CAC 40 climbed 0.21 per cent.



In other corporate developments, shares in U.S. agricultural equipment maker Deere & Co. were down 3.71 per cent to US$85.75 in New York even as it said strong equipment sales, particularly abroad, boosted quarterly net income by four per cent to US$532.9 million or $1.30 a share. The company is raising its outlook for 2012.



And troubled snack food maker Diamond Foods Inc. and Procter & Gamble Co. have called off their $1.5-billion deal for Diamond to buy the Pringles brand. Cereal maker Kellogg Co. is swooping in and made a $2.7-billion deal to purchase the brand. Kellogg said the transaction will help to strengthen its snacks business, which it is trying to make as big globally as its cereal business. Kellogg shares ran up 5.71 per cent to US$53.17.



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