Toronto stocks closed with solid gains Thursday, ending a three-day slump. The S&P/TSX composite index finished up 93.06 points, or 1.11%, at 8,513.91.

Toronto volume was light with 234.2 million shares changing hands.

The broad-based gains were led by a 2.76% rise in the technology group issues and 2.89% rise in the health-care sector.

Among tech issues, Sierra Wireless jumped $3.19 to $43.74, while Cognos was up $2.84 to $41.

After markets closed, Cognos, reported a big increase in fourth-quarter earnings as revenue climbed 23% over the same period last year.

The TSX materials group rose 1.68%, supported by a 1.42% gain by its gold sub-index.

Agnico-Eagle rose 75¢, to $19.31, while Placer Dome gained 45¢ to $23.25.

The energy sector was the lone decliner on the TSX, falling 0.15% as oil prices sagged after U.S. data showed a big jump in crude supplies.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index added 7.69 points to close at 1,849.21.

A solid reading on the U.S. economy sent stocks soaring on Wall Street.

The blue chip Dow Jones industrial average surged 170.59, or 1.7%, to 10,218.82, after declining more than 250 points over the last five sessions.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index rocketed ahead 57.69 points, or 3%, to 1,967.17. The broader S&P 500 index rose 17.95 points, or 1.6%, to 1,109.28.

The U.S. Commerce Department confirmed estimates that the economy grew at a solid 4.1% annual rate during the last quarter of 2003.