Toronto stocks enjoyed a banner session Tuesday, powered by rising oil prices and a strong showing in the information technology sector.

The S&P/TSX composite index finished up 133.34 points, or 1.34%, to close 10,075.13, its strongest finish in four-and-a-half years.

Volume was 225 million shares.

The senior exchange’s strong showing was broad based, with all 10 of the TSX main sub-groups ending higher on the day.

The energy sector posted the strongest gain at 3.06% and the information technology group was next highest, up 2.51%.

Light sweet crude for August delivery settled up 84¢ to US$59.59, after reaching an intra-day high of US$60.10. Worries over heating oil supplies in the fall kept the price of oil climbing.

EnCana Corp closed up $2.17, or 4.32%, at $52.35, while Ultra Petroleum Co. lifted $1.06, or 3.42%, to close at $32.04.

In the tech sector, Nortel Networks finished the day up 6¢, or 1.92%, to close $3.18.

The Canadian dollar was down 0.20 of a cent at US80.41¢.

The junior S&P/TSX venture exchange closed down 1.47 points, or 0.09%, to 1,723.89.

In New York, markets were upbeat, as a positive report from Wal-Mart and good economic news offset the sting from pricier crude.

The blue chip Dow Jones industrial average climbed 68.36 points, or 0.66%, to 10,371.80. The tech heavy Nasdaq gained 21.38, or 1.04%, to 1,204.99, while the broad based S&P 500 index lifted 10.55, or 0.88%, to 1,204.99.

Retail behemoth Wal-Mart raised its sales projection for June to the highest level since May 2004.

Meanwhile, U.S. factory orders, largely reflected in demand for airplanes and parts, hit their highest level in more than a year.