TSX jumps more than 100 points

The Canadian dollar was up 0.76 of a cent to 100.89 cents US.

U.S. markets also registered a solid gain and the greenback lost ground after Ben Bernanke said the U.S. job market remains weak despite three months of strong hiring and that the Federal Reserve’s existing policies will help boost growth.

Bernanke’s comments were a strong indication that the central bank is prepared to keep its low-interest rate policies in place for some time to come despite the recent signs of economic growth.

“He’s still prepared to stand ready to provide support for the economy,” said John Johnston, chief strategist at Davis Rea Ltd.

“He won’t do anything to limit the upside for the economy but he is certainly there to limit the downside.”

The Dow Jones industrial index jumped 160.9 points to 13,241.63. The Nasdaq composite index was 54.65 points higher to 3,122.57 and the S&P 500 index was up 19.4 points to 1,416.51.

Market sentiment also got a lift after a closely watched survey shows that German business confidence rose for the fifth month in a row. The Ifo Institute said its main confidence index rose to 109.8 points from 109.6 in February.

Both the current assessment and expectations components topped estimates.

Germany’s economy has been traditionally powered by exports but helped lately by increasingly strong domestic demand. Europe’s largest economy has been a bright spot over the past couple of years.

Also, German chancellor Angela Merkel said her country may be willing to temporarily increase the eurozone’s bailout funds to €700 billion.

The 17-country eurozone is under pressure to raise its financial firewalls to boost confidence in struggling countries like Italy and Spain.

The industrials group led Toronto advancers with a 2.17% rise. Canadian National Railways (TSX:CNR) gained $2.34 to $80.40 and Canadian Pacific Railway (TSX:CP) advanced $1.59 to $78.91.

Canadian Pacific will be outlining its plans for improving performance in Toronto on Tuesday, six weeks before its shareholders meet in Calgary to decide whether to support an effort to replace current CEO Fred Green.

The tech component gained 1.47% with Open Text (TSX:OTC) ahead $1.70 to $59.60. Research In Motion Ltd. (TSX:RIM) climbed 23 cents to $13.90. The BlackBerry maker releases its quarterly earnings on Thursday.

The financials sector ticked ahead 0.84% as Scotiabank (TSX:BNS) advanced 69 cents to $56.89 while Manulife Financial (TSX:MFC) improved by 30 cents to $13.96.

The gold sector was up about 1.1% as bullion prices also moved higher with the April contract up $23.20 to US$1,685.60 an ounce. Goldcorp Inc. (TSX:G) was ahead 64 cents to $45.24 while Agnico Eagle Mines (TSX:AEM) rose 47 cents to $34.08.

Other commodity sectors were weaker with oil prices up slightly as investors weighed concerns over global economic growth against possible disruptions in crude supplies due to an international standoff over Iran’s nuclear program.

The May crude contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange edged up 16 cents to US$107.03 a barrel, taking the energy sector up 0.47%. Suncor Energy (TSX:SU) climbed 32 cents to C$33.12 while Imperial Oil (TSX:IMO) ran ahead 83 cents to $46.27.

The base metals sector rose 0.21% while copper prices were up seven cents to US$3.88 a pound on the Nymex. Prices for the metal fell last week after HSBC’s Chinese manufacturing index went deeper into contraction during March. Copper prices were also under pressure amid soft Chinese housing data and a warning from miner BHP Billiton.

China is the world’s biggest consumer of copper, viewed as an economic bellwether as it is used in so many industries. China itself has been a major prop for a fragile global economic recovery.

Teck Resources (TSX:TCK.B) rose 75 cents to C$35.89 and Sherritt International (TSX:S) advanced nine cents to $5.83.

The telecom sector also provided lift with Telus Corp. (TSX:T) ahead 74 cents to $58.22.

SNC-Lavalin (TSX:SNC) was also in focus after the engineering firm’s chief executive officer resigned. Pierre Duhaime’s departure comes after an internal investigation revealed he signed off on $56 million US of questionable payments, a move which breached the company’s code of ethics.

SNC said the company’s CFO refused to approve the payments, but Duhaime stepped in to allow the payments to be made.

SNC also reported Monday that net income attributable to shareholders dropped 52% to $76 million in the fourth quarter, or 50 cents a share, compared to net income of $158.7 million, or $1.04 cents per share, in the same period a year earlier. Its shares shed early losses and rose $2.04 to $41.31.

In other corporate news, Crown Point Ventures Ltd. (TSXV:CWV) said Monday it has acquired the Argentine subsidiary of Antrim Energy Inc. for $46.4 million, increasing its oil and gas assets in Argentina. The main assets of Antrim Argentina are three oil and gas producing concessions in the Tierra del Fuego portion of the Argentine Austral basin and a 50.1% interest in the Cerro de Los Leones exploration concession. Crown Point shares were ahead eight cents to $1.20.