The Toronto Stock Exchange’s benchmark index ended higher Tuesday even as crude-oil futures tumbled more than US$5 a barrel.

The S&P/TSX composite index gained 96.97 points, or 0.71%, to finish at 13,809.77 after a turbulent session.

Eight of the 10 TSX main groups posted gains.

Crude oil for August delivery closed at US$136.04 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, down 3.8%, or US$5.33, the biggest daily loss in value since March 19. Crude has dropped US$9.25 over two straight sessions.

In Toronto, the heavyweight energy group fell 1.29%. Encana Corp. shares fell 70¢, or 0.83%, to $83.90.

The financials group rose 2.1%. National Bank of Canada shares climbed $1.69, or 3.5%, to $50.54, and Bank of Montreal was up $1.42, or 3.3%, at $43.95.

Shares of WestJet Airlines jumped $1.41, or 11.1%, to $14.10 after U.S. carrier Southwest Airlines said it will start a codeshare partnership with the Canadian company.

WestJet’s gain help pull the industrials sector up 3.9%.

Gold for August delivery dropped US$5.50 to end at US$923.30 an ounce on the Nymex. The TSX gold subgroup slipped 0.54%.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index fell 78.67 points, or 3.17%, to end at 2,399.70.

The Canadian dollar slipped 0.02¢ from Monday’s close to finish at US98.13¢.

On Wall Street, U.S. stocks rose in another turbulent session on Tuesday as a pullback in oil prices eased worries, while financial shares gained after the chairman of the Federal Reserve suggested the U.S. central bank should have more powers to prevent financial turmoil.

The Dow Jones industrial average soared 152.25 points, or 1.36%, to 11,384.21 and the S&P 500 climbed 21.38 points, or 1.71%, to 1,273.69. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index gained 51.10 points, or 2.28%, to 2,294.42.