The Toronto Stock Exchange S&P/TSX composite index closed up 94.92 points today at 6,665.34. Nine of the TSX’s 10 sub-indexes closed higher. The information technology sector led the way, finishing the session up 5.6%. The telecoms group came second, ending the day up 2.6%.

Technology issues were boosted by analyst upgrades of Nokia, Intel Corp., and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. a personal-computer microprocessor firm. Nortel Networks Corp. closed up 49¢, or 15.8%, to $3.59 — its highest close since late May – on news that it has signed worth $65 million to supply China Unicom with wireless equipment. Other tech companies basked in the glory. Celestica Inc. rose 66¢, or 2.3%, to $29.11. ATI Technologies added 25¢, or 2%, to $12.70.

The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index closed down 0.84 at 959.97. Trading was active on a volume of 31.2 million shares worth 10.7 million dollars, with 177 advances, 181 declines and 635 issues unchanged.

South of the border, stocks sagged after a report showing that U.S. manufacturing shrank for a third straight month. The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 33.52 points, or 0.38%, at 8,862.57. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index fell 1.78 points, or 0.19%, to 934.53. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up slightly. It rose 6.02 points, or 0.41%, to 1,484.80.

Nortel Networks was the most active stock on the New York Stock Exchange due to the China Unicom deal. Nortel shares jumped US36¢, or 19%, to US$2.30.