The benchmark Toronto stock index rose sharply on Thursday, its third-straight day of gains, boosted rising commodity prices.

The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX index climbed 165.69 points, or 1.55%, to end at 10,825.56.

The resource heavy materials sector rose by 2.84%.

Pan American Silver shares soared 10.4% to $22.53, and copper and gold producer Quadra Mining leapt 7% to $12.51.

Energy issues gained 1.88% as oil also ended higher.

Talisman Energy rose 3.7% to $17.55, while Nexen gained 3.6% to $23.41.

Among financial stocks, Bank of Nova Scotia rose 1.4% and Bank of Montreal advanced 1%.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index rose 14.48 points, or 1.22%, to end at 1,200.50.

The Canadian dollar slipped .05 of cent to close at US91.83¢.

In New York, U.S. stocks rose on Thursday as better-than-expected earnings by Wal-Mart Stores Inc helped offset disappointing data on U.S. retail sales and jobs.

The Dow Jones industrial average added 36.58 points, or 0.39%, to 9,398.19. The S&P 500 climbed 6.92 points, or 0.69%, to 1,012.73. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index rose 10.63 points, or 0.53%, to 2,009.35.

The U.S. Commerce Department reported retail sales fell 0.1% in July, defying market expectations of a gain.

As well, the government said the number of workers filing initial applications for unemployment benefits rose by 4,000 to a seasonally adjusted 558,000. Economists had anticipated a drop.

IE