The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday edition that Canada's main stock index climbed on Monday to its highest level in three months, with resource shares among the best performers as rising hopes of an economic soft landing boosted commodity prices. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe says that the S&P/TSX Composite Index ended up 107.27 points at 20,626.64. The main U.S. indexes also rose, though more modestly given their lighter weighting in oil and resources. "The path to avoiding a recession, it appears wider now than even a couple of months ago. This has been a favourable backdrop for equities," said Angelo Kourkafas, senior investment strategist at Edward Jones. Signs of cooling inflation and economic resilience in the U.S. and Canada have bolstered investor sentiment. Canadian employment data, due on Friday, could offer further clues about the strength of the domestic economy. Money markets see about a 65-per-cent chance that Canada's central bank will tighten further by the end of the year. The materials group added 1.7 per cent as hopes of Chinese economic stimulus boosted copper prices. Gold and oil prices also climbed, with U.S. crude oil futures settling 1.5 per cent higher at $81.80 (U.S.) a barrel.