Canada's main stock index rose almost one per cent Wednesday amid broad-based strength while U.S. markets also posted strong gains. 

The S&P/TSX Composite Index was up 180.12 points, or 0.92 per cent, at 19,837.65

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 323.35 points at 32,717.60. The S&P 500 Index was up 56.54 points at 4,027.81, while the Nasdaq Composite was up 210.16 points at 11,926.24.

The Canadian dollar traded for 73.66 cents U.S. compared with 73.39 cents U.S. on Tuesday.

The May crude contract was down 23 cents at US$72.97 per barrel and the May natural gas contract was up four cents at US$2.18 per mm/BTU.

The June gold contract was down US$5.90 at US$1,984.50 an ounce and the May copper contract was up less than a penny at US$4.09 a pound.