North American stocks rose Monday, as investors anticipated an additional cut in interest rates from the U.S. Federal Reserve Board on Tuesday.

In Toronto, the S&P/TSX composite index gained 77.39, or 0.56%, to close at 13,940.36. Six of the 10 TSX main sub-groups finished higher on the session.

The financial services group gained 0.76% after the TSX Group Inc., operators of the country’s largest stock exchange, announced that it would merge with the Montreal Exchange Inc. for $1.3 billion.

TSX shares fell $3.34, or 5.84%, to $53.88, while shares in the ME gained $2.98, or 8.01%, to $40.18.

The energy index moved up 0.54%.

Light, sweet crude for January delivery fell 42¢ to close at US$87.86 a barrel.

Husky Energy Inc. moved up 23¢, or 0.54%, to $42.70.

The materials index gained 1.06%, while the gold sub-sector rose 1.92%.

Gold futures lifted $13.30 to end at US$813.50 an ounce.

Goldcorp Inc. gained 42¢, or 1.25%, to $34.12.

The Canadian dollar fell 0.08 of a cent to US99.41¢.

The S&P TSX Venture Exchange moved up 20.78, or 0.76%, to 2,751.27.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 101.45, or 0.74%, to 13,727.03, the Nasdaq composite index gained 12.79, or 0.47%, to 2,718.95, and the S&P 500 advanced 11.30, or 0.75%, to 1,515.96.