Toronto stocks drifted higher on Monday, as strength in technology issues helped offset weaker health-care stocks. The S&P/TSX composite index rose 43.28 points to close at 7,562.87.

Toronto volume was moderate with 192 million shares, with some traders out in observance of the Yom Kippur Jewish holiday. Market sentiment was positive with advancers topping decliners 635 to 527.

The information technology sector rose 1.96%.

Research In Motion jumped $2.91 to $58.97, while Celestica Inc. rose 96¢ to $23.71. Bellwether Nortel Networks added 21¢ to close at $6.02.

Health-care stocks fell 1.68%, following news that Axcan did not get approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its drug that eradicates bacteria known to cause ulcers.

Axcan fell $2.66 to $16.51, while Biovail fell $3.20 to $38.60.

Convenience store operator Alimentation Couche-Tard saw its shares surge almost 15% after it mounted a $1.12 billion takeover offer for a U.S.-based convenience store chain owned by Circle K. Alimentation shares were up $3.90 to close at $21.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index rose 6.97 points to 1,382.81.

On Wall Street stocks rose on the fourth session in a row. Volume was light due the Yom Kippur holiday and ahead of tomorrow’s Alcoa earnings numbers

Alcoa will be the first Dow component to report its Q3 earnings.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 22.67 points to 9,594.98, while the broader S&P 500 rose 4.5 points to 1,034.35. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index climbed12.89 points to 1,893.46.

Baltimore-based money manager and brokerage Legg Mason Inc. said that a U.S. federal jury ordered it to pay about US$20 million to stock market analytical firm Lowry’s Reports Inc. in a copyright lawsuit.

The company said it expects to record a $17.5 million pre-tax charge for its fiscal second quarter, which ended Sept. 30, because of the award. Legg Mason owns Toronto-based investment fund manager Perigee Investment Counsel Inc.

Lowry’s said it brought the lawsuit because Legg Mason permitted wide distribution of its Lowry’s Market Trend Analysis newsletter, even though payment was made for only a single copy.

The Canadian dollar rose 0.25¢ against the U.S. greenback, closing at US74.62¢.

Finance Minister John Manley will present the federal government’s autumn fiscal update on November 3 in Ottawa, the government said.