TORONTO  - Canada's main stock index rose on Friday as natural resource stocks led a broad rally on a mix of higher commodity prices and positive corporate earnings.

Gold miner Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd (AEM.TO) surged 9.3 per cent to $64.54 after beating profit and revenue estimates and upping its production forecast after the bell on Thursday.

The broader materials group, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, added 2.3 per cent, with gold and copper prices both moving higher.

The energy group climbed 1.5 per cent as oil prices rose from a one-month low, with Suncor Energy Inc (SU.TO), the country's largest oil and gas producer, up 2.2 per cent to $42.65.

Suncor posted a profit beat late on Wednesday and said it planned to buy back shares.

At 11:00 a.m. ET, the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index (.GSPTSE) rose 93.57 points, or 0.6 per cent, to 15,600.04. Eight of its 10 main sectors gained.

The index is on track to end flat over the course of the week.

The most influential weights on the index included Cameco Corp (CCO.TO), which fell 7.5 per cent to $13.21 after the world's second-biggest uranium producer posted a bigger-than-expected quarterly loss, partly hurt by the termination of a contract by the operator of Japan's wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant.

Bombardier Inc (BBDb.TO) also fell, down 4.1 per cent to $2.11 after Boeing asked the U.S. government to investigate alleged subsidies and unfair pricing of the Canadian planemaker's new CSeries airplane.

Beleagured alternative mortgage lender Home Capital Group fell 2.1 per cent to $7.85 as depositors withdrew more cash, from savings accounts that help fund its mortgage book, although the pace of exits had slowed.

"It may be a great buying opportunity for someone, either on the long side or outright as an acquisition, but you got to know what's in that book, said John Stephenson, president at Stephenson & Company Capital Management.

The financials group gained 0.6 per cent.

The Canadian economy stalled in February after a healthy start to the year but is still on track to meet and possibly exceed the Bank of Canada's forecast for first-quarter annualized growth, analysts said.

U.S. MARKETS

The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average were little changed at the open on Friday after data showed the economy grew at its weakest pace in three years in the first quarter, while strong tech earnings propelled the Nasdaq to a record high.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 5.66 points, or 0.03 per cent, to 20,975.67. The S&P 500 gained 1.91 points, or 0.07 per cent, to 2,390.68. The Nasdaq Composite added 23.12 points, or 0.38 per cent, to 6,072.06.