By Ashley P. Lau
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Advancing commodities drove the resource-heavy Canadian stock market higher on Wednesday after the release of the U.S. Federal Reserve's September meeting minutes Tuesday signaled that extra stimulus may be in the works. The S&P/TSX Composite Index (CA:$ISPTX 12,675, +99.28, +0.79%) rose 93.1 points, or 0.7%, to 12,668.8. Canada's diversified metals and gold mining sectors rose after gold and copper prices advanced following the Fed's minutes, which heightened expectations of monetary easing in the U.S. Canadian mining giants Equinox Minerals Limited (CA:EQN 6.18, +0.19, +3.17%) and Teck Resources Limited (CA:TCK.B 45.68, +0.98, +2.19%) both rose above 2%, leading the sector ahead. The Royal Bank of Canada (CA:RY 55.69, +0.70, +1.27%) , the country's largest bank and the number one stock listed on the TSX, posted gains with shares up 1.2%.
