The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that Toronto stocks rose on Wednesday, led by gains in materials and technology shares, while investors assessed Canadian retail sales data for more clues on the Bank of Canada's interest-rate path. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe says that U.S. markets also rallied, finding relief in a drop in bond yields after several days of them climbing to multiyear peaks. The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note eased from near 16-year highs after weak business activity data from the United States and the euro zone. Canadian bond yields also declined, with the five-year yield falling about 12 basis points to 4.06 per cent. "What's troubled this market has been the persistent rise in rates at the longer end," said Rick Meckler, partner, Cherry Lane Investments, in New Vernon, N.J. U.S. Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell's comments on Friday at the Jackson Hole conference will be scrutinized for clues on the U.S. central bank's interest-rate path. Toronto's S&P/TSX Composite Index rose nearly 1 per cent. Heavily weighted materials sector, which houses miners and fertilizer companies, rose 1.7 per cent, supported by higher gold prices. Tech stocks added 2.7 per cent.