Toronto stocks rallied on Thursday as high oil prices ignited energy shares, while Research In Motion helped lift tech issues.

The S&P/TSX composite index climbed 65.65 points, or 0.68%, to close at 9,778.20. Volume was 261 million shares.

Crude oil futures briefly topped $57 US a barrel in Thursday trading before slipping back, as supply worries continued to rattle the market and OPEC pondered a further increase in production.

Crude futures for April delivery traded as high as $57.60 US in early trading in New York. They later fell back on profit-taking to close at $56.40 US, down 6 cents on the day.

TSX energy stocks were up 1.87%, led by Talisman Energy, which climbed $2.06, or 5.12%, to $42.28. Suncor Energy rose $1.60, or 3.43%, to $48.31.

Tech issues gained 1.21%, as RIM continued its climb, buoyed by the lingering effects of Wednesday’s patent litigation settlement. RIM stock rose $2.55, or 2.68%, to $95.55.

A day earlier, stock soared $14.04 to $95 after the maker of the BlackBerry wireless e-mail device said it would pay $450 million to NTP Inc. to settle a three-year patent dispute.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index eked out a 2.37 point gain to close at 1,967.29.

U.S. blue chips fell on Thursday, weighed down by insurer American International Group Inc., while the broader Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rose as record oil prices lifted energy stocks.

The biggest downward pressure on the Dow came from AIG, which fell 3.3%, or $2.10 to US$60.80 after a report that an accounting review has uncovered some figures that may have to be adjusted.

The Dow Jones industrial average was down 6.72 points, or 0.06%, at 10,626.35, a three-week low. The S&P 500 was up 2.14 points, or 0.18%, at 1,190.21, closing off session highs. The finished up Nasdaq composite index was up 0.67 points, or 0.03%, at 2,016.42.