TORONTO (Bloomberg) - Canadian stocks rose for a fourth day, led by commodity producers, as economic-growth reports from Germany and France and a bigger-than-forecast jump in US home sales fueled speculation the global recession is easing.

Suncor Energy Inc., Canada's biggest energy company, gained 3.1 percent as crude oil futures reached their highest point this year. Teck Resources Ltd. advanced 1.7 percent as zinc and copper climbed. Barrick Gold Corp., the world's largest gold producer, added 1.6 percent.

"The market's tone is driven by improving economic data, specifically in Europe," said Andrew McCreath, a portfolio manager at Sentry Select Capital Corp. in Toronto, which manages about C$4 billion. "The world is back to thinking that it's synchronous growth; if one guy improves, the other guy's going to improve."

The Standard & Poor's/TSX Composite Index advanced 130.67 points, or 1.2 percent, to 10,831.18. The equity benchmark has risen 21 percent this year as commodity prices rebounded on signs the global economy is recovering from the first simultaneous recessions in the US, Europe and Japan since World War II.

Oil climbed to a 10 month high today as the euro strengthened against the dollar after German services and French manufacturing expanded in August, bolstering the appeal of commodities to investors.

Sales of existing US homes rose 7.2 percent to a 5.24 million annual rate, the highest since August 2007, the National Association of Realtors said in Washington. The gain was the biggest since records began in 1999.

Crude oil for October delivery increased 1.3 percent to $73.89 a barrel in New York.

Suncor gained 3.1 percent to C$35.53 to contribute the most to the S&P/TSX's rally.

Petrobank Energy and Resources Ltd. led energy companies with a 6.9 percent surge to C$40.29, its highest price since September.

The weakening US dollar boosted gold prices, which tend to rise as the US dollar falls. Gold futures for December delivery climbed 1.4 percent to $954.70 an ounce in New York.

Barrick added 1.6 percent to C$37.60, for a weekly gain of 0.6 percent. The second-largest gold producer, Goldcorp Inc., rose 1.2 percent to C$38.84. Kinross Gold Corp. jumped 2.5 percent to C$20.99.

Silver Wheaton Corp., Pan American Silver Corp. and Silver Standard Resources Inc. each gained at least 2.8 percent as silver for September delivery increased 2.1 percent in New York.