Stocks in Toronto added more than 100 points today. Several U.S. earnings reports raised hopes for Canadian investors. The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index climbed 117.73 points, or 1.91%, to finish at 6,274.79. The market has jumped 10% during the past five sessions – a welcome rebound from weeks of volatile trading.

Information technology shares led today’s action, rising 3.02%. The sector was boosted by a good news earnings report that came from IBM late yesterday. Zarlink Semiconductor Inc. finished up 55¢, or 16.5%, at $3.89. Nortel Networks Corp. added 8¢ rising to 93¢.

Unfortunately, Celestica Inc. shares were hurt by a bleak fourth-quarter outlook. They started the day strongly, in light of the IBM news, but finished down $1.45, or 7.6%, at $17.55.

The financials sector followed closely behind the info tech shares, rising 2.45%. The leader was Toronto-Dominion Bank, which closed up $1.60 to $32.10. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce added $1.83 to $40.33.

The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index closed up 3.36 at 903.02. Trading was moderate on a volume of 22.3 million shares worth 6.0 million dollars, with 140 advances, 174 declines and 538 issues unchanged.

South of the border, stocks soared, also racking up another positive session. IBM’s news had a positive impact, as did Microsoft Corp. it reported that the company’s profits had beat expectations.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 239.01 points, or 2.97%, to 8,275.04. The Nasdaq Composite Index rose 39.87 points, or 3.24%, to 1,272.29. The broad Standard & Poor’s 500 Index climbed 19.18 points, or 2.23%, to 879.20.