Toronto stocks ended a five-day losing streak Wednesday as strength in technology and positive news from the Canadian energy industry helped boost the S&P/TSX composite index. The benchmark index rose 32.33 points to 8,637.32.

The information technology sector rose 2.8% to lead all groups, while energy stocks finished ahead 1.7%.

Open Text raised its profit forecasts for the coming year and said it was on track to complete its acquisition of Germany’s Ixos Software

Shares of Open Text rose $2.73 to $39.30, while Nortel Networks ended 34¢ higher at $10.28.

Energy stocks took advantage of strong quarterly profits and concerns over lower inventories of gasoline.

Canadian Natural Resources, which reported a 20% jump in fourth-quarter profit, saw its shares rise $2.23 to $68.63, while EnCana was up 68¢, or 1%, at $56.05.

A slew of bank earnings are expected to steal the spotlight on Thursday.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index slipped 13.11 points to 1,850.50.

In New York, markets also finished higher. The Dow industrial average rose 35.25 at 10,601.62. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index advanced 17.54 to 2,022.98, while the broader S&P 500 was up 4.58 at 1,143.67.

The Canadian dollar fell 0.35¢ to US74.89¢.