Toronto stocks ended higher on Tuesday in a broad-based rally. The S&P/TSX composite index rose 60.54 points, or 0.66%, to 9,237.48.

Trading volume was heavy at 270 million shares.

Nine of the 10 TSX groups rose, leaving information technology stocks the only group in negative territory.

The utilities sector rose 1.8% to lead all groups, while the energy sector gained 0.55%.

Oil prices settled down 2¢ to US$45.76 a barrel as forecasts for a swift end to this week’s U.S. cold snap eased worries over thin fuel stocks, but oil stocks still rose.

EnCana shares were up 63¢, or nearly 1%, to $69.65, while Suncor Energy closed ahead 57¢, or 1.4%, at $42.01.

The tech sector closed 0.5% lower on profit-taking after recent gains.

ATI Technologies shares dropped $1.42, or 5.7%, to $23.40, after reporting lower-than-expected quarterly sales.

Nortel Networks fell 8¢, or nearly 2%, to $4.11.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index rose 9.77 points, or 0.56%, to 1,746.68.

U.S. stocks also rallied on Tuesday, with the Dow closing at its highest level in 3 1/2 years, boosted by a rebound in beaten-down drugmaker Pfizer Inc.

Tech stocks got a lift from a broker upgrade of Intel Corp. Intel shot up 3.5% after Lehman Brothers raised its investment rating on the stock to “overweight” from “underweight.”

Meanwhile, Pfizer gained nearly 3%, after a study of Alzheimer’s patients eased investors’ fears that U.S. regulators will force Pfizer to withdraw its arthritis drug Celebrex.

The Dow Jones industrial average closed up 97.83 points, or 0.92%, at 10,759.43, its highest close since June 2001. The S&P500 was up 10.78 points, or 0.90%, to close back above the 1,200 level at 1,205.43.

The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 23.06 points, or 1.08%, to finish at 2,150.91.