Stocks closed slightly higher today. A weak market was buoyed by strength in technology and financial issues. The Toronto Stock Exchange S&P/TSX composite index closed up 24.27 points, or 0.37%, at 6,578.16, its highest close in two months.

Declining issues won over advancing issues 579 to 531, while another 207 were unchanged. Volume was strong at 210 million shares worth $1.92 billion changing hands.

The information technology sector blasted higher by 5.5%. Nortel Networks Corp. jumped 33¢, or nearly 13%, to $2.91. Celestica Inc. rose $1.51, or 5.5%, to $29.12.

Hudson’s Bay stock shot up $1.01, or nearly 15%, to $7.85 as Canada’s largest department-store chain reported a rise in third-quarter earnings. The biggest loser today was Quebecor World Inc. Its shares recorded the steepest net loss during the session after the company announced that its chief executive and chief financial officer are leaving. The stock closed down $3.43, or 8.7%, at $35.82 on more than four times its daily average volume.

The blue-chip S&P/TSX 60 index pushed up 1.30 points, or 0.35%, to 374.69. The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index closed down 2.97 at 942.43. Trading was active on a volume of 30.9 million shares worth 10.3 million dollars, with 157 advances, 216 declines and 544 issues unchanged.

South of the border, U.S. markets swung between gains and losses for much of the day.
The Dow Jones industrial average closed up 44.56 points, or 0.51%, at 8,849.40. The Nasdaq composite index closed up 13.16 points, or 0.9%, at 1,481.90.