The Toronto Stock Exchange fluctuated between positive and negative territory on Friday, finishing the day up 1.5% thanks to a late-day rally.

The S&P/TSX composite index gained 126.65 points to finish at 8,552. The benchmark index finished the week 36.6 points higher than last Friday’s close.

The materials group pulled through with gains of 1.8% despite gold futures that slipped lower. Gold for February delivery ended down US$23.20, or 2.7%, at US$837.40 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. Despite the loss, gold finished the week up 2.1%.

The sub-gold index surged 3.2%.

This included gains by Yamana Gold Inc., which rose 7.8% to $8.45, and Kinross Gold Corp., up 5.4% to $20.75.

Goldcorp Inc. shares increased 0.9% to $34.80 and Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd. rallied 9.9% to $58.00.

Potash Corp fell $1.34, or 1.5%, to $88.66 after the fertilizer company cut its 2008 profit expectations due to softening demand.

The financials group ended the day with a 1.3% boost after news that the federal government, along with the governments of Ontario and Quebec, would provide funding to help backstop the restructuring plan for asset-backed commercial paper.

Shares of National Bank of Canada rallied 12.7% on investor relief that the ABCP restructuring plan would be likely to go through. The shares finished at $28.86.

The energy group rose 0.5% despite more deterioration in oil futures. Crude for January delivery, which expired at the end of Friday’s session, tumbled another US$2.35 a barrel, or 6.5%, to finish at US$33.87 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Husky Energy Inc. advanced 3.4% to $30.00 and Suncor Energy Inc. rose 0.77% to $24.99.

Petro-Canada’s stock gained 0.6% to $27.05.

Others moved lower, including EnCana Corp., down 1.1% to $53.90 and Imperial Oil Ltd., lower by 1.3% to $39.50.

Shares of Research in Motion surged $6.59, or 14.1%, to $53.32 after the BlackBerry-maker announced expectations that fiscal fourth quarter revenue would be at least $3.3 billion, beating analyst expectations.

RIM’s gains helped the information technology group on the TSX rise 5% on Friday.

Junior companies on the Venture exchange slipped 1.4 points, or 0.2%, to 699.04.

The Canadian dollar dipped more than a cent against its American counterpart, ending the week at US81.77¢.

Similar to market activity in Canada, American stock markets were little changed, even despite news that the American government would throw a US$13.4-billion lifeline to General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC.

The Dow Jones industrial average shed 25.88 points, or 0.3%, to finish at 8,579.11. For the week, the Dow is down 0.7%.

General Motors Corp. led gains on the blue-chip index, rising 22.7% to $4.49 on Friday.

The Nasdaq composite index rose 11.95 points, or 0.8%, to end at 1,564.32—a gain of 1.5% for the week.

The S&P 500 index moved up 2.6 points, or 0.3%, to close at 887.88. It is 0.8% higher for the week.

Shares of Ford Motor Co. advanced 3.9% to $2.95.

IE