The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that U.S. stocks closed sharply higher on Wednesday after a two-week cease-fire agreement between the U.S. and Iran lifted investor sentiment. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe says that all three major U.S. stock indexes surged at the opening bell, muscled by relief after a deal brokered by Pakistan resulted in a two-week suspension of the war. Canada's main stock index also rose, but the rally was held back by a decline in the energy sector as oil prices plunged. The Dow rose 1,326.33 points, or 2.85 per cent, to 47,910.79, the S&P 500 gained 165.98 points, or 2.51 per cent, to 6,782.83, and Nasdaq gained 617.15 points, or 2.80 per cent, to 22,635.00. The S&P/TSX Composite Index closed at 33,620.57, up 383.05 points or 1.15 per cent. In Toronto, apparel retailer Aritzia was up 9.5 per cent and automotive parts company Magna International added 5.5 per cent. The CBOE Market Volatility Index, a barometer of investor anxiety, dipped to its lowest level since the beginning of the war. Front-month U.S. and Brent crude futures fell 16.4 per cent and 13.3 per cent, respectively, both settling below $100 (U.S.) a barrel. Toronto's energy sector lost 4.5 per cent.