Toronto stocks ended higher today led by resurgent interest in Nortel Networks Corp. as it reclaimed its title as Canada’s number one company by market capitalization.

The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index finished up 72.03 points, or 0.85%, at 8,521.39 on a volume of 332 million shares worth $3.95 billion. Market momentum was positive with 716 issues advancing and 525 declining.

Nortel rallied more than 18% after reporting late Thursday that it topped fourth-quarter results, and posted its first full-year profit since 1997. The stock closed up $1.62, or 18.49%, at $10.38 on huge volume of 83 million shares. It hit a year high of $11.94 in early trading. Nortel’s rise shoved Royal Bank of Canada out of the top spot on the TSX in terms of market capitalization.

Nortel’s surge helped lift the tech sector 4.79%, one of just four of the TSX’s 10 subgroups to end higher. Sierra Wireless rose $1.65, or 4.83%, to $35.80. Research In Motion added $1.01, or 0.88%, to $115.18. Going against the trend was Celestica Inc., which continued to feel the impact of this week’s sudden departure of its chief executive. Celestica closed down $1.05 at $22.75.

On the overall downside, the energy sector fell 1.44%. It had been battered on Thursday by disappointing earnings from big oil names and softer crude prices. Shell Canada Ltd. lost $1.97 to $59.01. EnCana Corp. slid $1.62 to $51.58.

Other decliners included the telecoms, health-care and consumer staples sectors.

The S&P/TSX 60 index gained 4.99 points, or 1.06%, at 476.64. The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index closed up 13.57 at 1793.34. Trading was very heavy on a volume of 63.7 million shares worth $42.8 million dollars, with 373 advances, 348 declines and 520 issues unchanged.

In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 22.22 points, or 0.21%, at 10,488.07. The Nasdaq composite index slid 2.08 points, or 0.10%, to 2,066.15.