Source: The Canadian Press

The Toronto stock market closed sharply higher, lifted to a two-year high by a bullish forecast for copper prices and a better than expected reading on the U.S. service sector.

The S&P/TSX composite index jumped 175.06 points to 12,498 after the U.S. Institute for Supply Management’s index on the non-manufacturing sector ran ahead to 53.2 in September, which was better than the 52 reading economists expected and up from the 51.5 reading in August.

“Anything that illustrates that there is a continued expansion in the economy is nothing to shake a stick at when you have the bears out there calling for a double-dip recession,” said Gareth Watson, director, Canadian equities portfolio advisory group.

“When we see data like this come out, it at least suggests the fact the doomsday scenario for the U.S. economy is not exactly going to pan out. It does not dismiss the fact though that this economy is recovering very slowly, which most people should have expected and do expect.”

The service industry employs about 83% of U.S. workers in the private sector.

The TSX Venture Exchange gained 28.47 points to 1,768.03, while the Canadian dollar edged up half a cent to a two-month high of 98.35 cents US.

Mining stocks ran ahead as copper prices racked up a solid advance after Goldman Sachs raised its 12-month forecast for copper prices to US$11,000 a metric tonne, about 23% above the 2008 high of US$8,940.

“Supply-demand deficits look set to grow on emerging market demand strength and improving demand from developed economies, which we expect to significantly outpace supply growth, drawing down inventories and creating market shortages,” Goldman said.

The base metals sector gained 3.6% as the December copper contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange gained six cents to US$3.73 a pound. Teck Resources (TSX:TCK.B) was up $1.72 to C$44.06 while Quadra FNX Mining (TSX:QUX) advanced 52 cents to C$15.28.

Oil and gold prices also headed higher.

The energy sector gained 1.4% as the November crude contract on the Nymex rose $1.35 to US$82.82 a barrel. Canadian Natural Resources (TSX:CNQ) gained 97 cents to C$37.34 and Suncor Energy (TSX:SU) improved by $1.23 to C$34.86.

Gold stocks rose as the December bullion contract in New York gained $23.50 to yet another fresh record close of US$1,340.30 an ounce. Barrick Gold Corp. (TSX:ABX) rose $1.09 to C$48.18 while Goldcorp Inc. (TSX:G) advanced 86 cents to C$44.84.

The financial group was also a major advancer, up 1.51% with Royal Bank (TSX:RY) ahead $1.02 at $54.67, while Manulife Financial (TSX:MFC) climbed 17 cents to $12.95 .

The tech sector advanced 1.18% with shares in CGI Group Inc. (TSX:GIB.A) up 27 cents at $16.23 after the Montreal-based information technology company signed two new technology support agreements, the largest being a five-year contract extension from Bombardier Aerospace. The Bombardier deal is worth about US$160 million over five years.

Research In Motion Ltd. (TSX:RIM) was ahead 48 cents at $50.60.

Meanwhile, Quebec Premier Jean Charest confirmed Tuesday that the province has sanctioned a $1.3-billion contract negotiated between the Montreal transit authority and a Bombardier-Alstom consortium to supply new cars to the Montreal subway system. Bombardier shares climbed 15 cents to $5.17.

Higher commodities helped boost rail stocks with Canadian Pacific Railway (TSX:CP) ahead $1.05 at $63.04.

Investor sentiment was lifted after the Japanese central bank moved to effectively cut its main interest rate to zero per cent and also said it may set up a five-trillion-yen (US$60-billion) fund to buy government bonds and other assets.

The bank hopes that its moves will help prop up the faltering Japanese economy which has been particularly weighed down by the recent appreciation of the yen, which has hurt the export trade.

The main focus of the week will be Friday’s monthly U.S. non-farm payrolls report for September. Expectations are modest in the extreme, with economists expecting the economy created only about 5,000 jobs last month.

The data could have a bearing on whether the Fed takes further action to stimulate the U.S. economy.

Canadian employment data for September will also be released on Friday.

Investors were also looking ahead to the start of the third-quarter earnings season, which will be kicked off in the U.S. by aluminum giant Alcoa Inc. on Thursday.

New York markets racked up big gains, with the Dow Jones industrial average gaining 193.45 points to 10,944.72.

The Nasdaq composite index climbed 55.31 points to 2,399.83 while the S&P 500 index was ahead 23.72 points at 1,160.75.

Elsewhere on the corporate front, PotashCorp is challenging a report on its possible US$38.6-billion hostile takeover by BHP Billiton for being too optimistic. In a regulatory filing, PotashCorp (TSX:POT) said a Conference Board report saying Saskatchewan could lose at least $2 billion in revenue over the next decade is “understated.” PotashCorp shares declined $2.30 to $145.40.

Jean Coutu Group (TSX:PJC.A) nearly tripled its profits in the second quarter as Quebec’s largest pharmacy operator and one of the largest in Canada continued to recover from the effects of its investment in Rite-Aid.

The Montreal-area company reported profits of $42.6 million, or 18 cents per share, for the three-month period, which met expectations. Revenue increased 2.2% to $622 million and its shares climbed four cents to $8.92.