TORONTO: Toronto's main stock index finished slightly higher on Tuesday, but coughed up most of its gains as gold mining firms slid with bullion prices after a downgrade to Spain's sovereign credit rating rekindled fears about Europe's deepening debt crisis.

The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index unofficially closed up 43.15 points, or 0.4 percent, at 11,609.30. It retreated after hitting a session high at 11,687.71.