Stocks are making broad-based gains today, amid signs of economic improvement in the United States.

The TSE 300 is up 44 points to 7,402 at midday.

Volume is average at 75 million shares, with sellers outpacing buyers by four to three. However, winners outnumber losers by nine to eight..

There’s strength today throughout much of the market. Banks are notably higher, joined by gains in golds, paper stocks, energy plays, pipelines, merchandisers and conglomerates.

Signs that orders for U.S. durable goods orders are reviving has sparked some optimism for recovery, and several beaten groups are climbing higher. There are spots of weakness in miners, utilities and real estate.

The banks are bouncing back today. Royal Bank is leading the way higher. However, bank of Montreal continues to slide as investors continue to vote thumbs down on its $830 million purchase of CSFBdirect. C.I. Funds is leading the investment funds group higher, and insurers are up, too.

Other stocks making gains include C-Mac, Cryptologic, ATI, CAE, Ballard Power and Telesystem International Wireless.

TIW is up on news that it has reached an agreement with investors, which will lead to the company’s recapitalization, the restructuring of its subordinated debentures and the increase of the company’s economic ownership in ClearWave N.V., from 45.5% up to a maximum of 100%. The deal involves several interrelated transactions including a US$90 million private placement.

Cott, Calpine, Sherritt and Rio Alto are all up at midday. Rio Alto, up 4%, says “there have been no recent corporate developments taking place in the company other than those in the normal course of its business.” The company was asked to comment on its recent price action by the TSE.

There’s lots of downside volume on the TSE, too. Heavy sellers include Nortel Networks, Celestica, BCE, Bombardier, Alcan and Westcoast Energy.

Transalta is down almost 3% on news that it has closed its previously announced offering of preferred securities. TransAlta received gross proceeds of $175 million from this offering through a syndicate of underwriters lead-managed by RBC Capital Markets and Scotia Capital Inc.

Other losers today include Nova Chemicals, Shell Canada, Inco, Forzani, Aber Diamond, Manitoba Telecom.

In New York, bargain hunters are driving stocks higher. The Dow Jones industrial average is up 43 points to 9,755. The Nasdaq composite index is leading the way, gaining 28 points to 1,916. The S&P 500 is up seven points to 1,135.

The CDNX index is up, too, gaining a point to 3,047. Volume is average at 11.6 million shares.

Techs and miners are both up a bit, oils are flat. Nevada Pacific Gold Ltd is the top trader, gaining 4% to 26¢ on 506,000 shares.