TORONTO (Reuters) - The Toronto Stock Exchange's main index climbed sharply yesterday, boosted by gains in Agrium Inc. and Research In Motion, and unexpectedly positive US retail data.

Agricultural products supplier Agrium rose C$2.87, or 4.6 percent, to C$66.00 after it reported a fourth-quarter profit, helped by increasing demand and prices for fertilszer.

Research In Motion , the maker of the BlackBerry, also helped yank the index higher as it rose C$4.88, or 5.3 percent, to C$96.52, making it the day's biggest net gainer.

Enthusiasm over a surprise rise of 0.3 percent in US retail sales for January spilled over to the Toronto benchmark, as investors hoped the economy south of the border is proving more resilient than expected.

"The retail numbers set the tone early and everybody's jumped on it," said John Kinsey, portfolio manager at Caldwell Securities Ltd.

"I think the retail numbers were obviously good and better than expected, and people have been hoping for some good news for a change."

The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 194.92 points, or 1.49 percent, at 13,282.30 with all of its 10 main groups in positive territory.

The heavyweight energy sector moved up 2.1 percent, while oil prices continued to move higher after Venezuela cut off oil sales to Exxon Mobil Corp. as a dispute over a nationalized oil project intensified.

Canadian Natural Resources added C$2.26, or 3.6 percent, to C$65.25, and Imperial Oil was up C$1.56, or 3 percent, at C$53.28.

Agrium's advance helped the materials sector rise 1.5 percent, while its gold producers sub-index rose 1.6 percent.

The tech sector gained 5.1 percent, lifted by RIM and Nortel Networks's rise of C$1.28, or 12.4 percent, to C$11.61.

Nortel's chief executive told a German newspaper that the company will look at possible takeover opportunities as they come, but declined comment on this week's media reports of a unit merger with Motorola .