Investors were also encouraged by the European Central Bank's decision to hold interest rates at a record low and by ECB comments that the euro zone economy will recover later in 2013.

The index's materials sector, which includes mining stocks, jumped 1.5 percent, with gold companies making the biggest gains on a rally in gold prices.

Goldcorp Inc added 3.9 percent to C$36.80, Barrick Gold Corp gained 1.7 percent to C$33.75, and Yamana Gold Inc jumped 4.8 percent to C$17.11. The three stocks played a major role in leading the index higher.

Data on Thursday showed China's exports hit a seven-month high in December, a strong finish to the year after seven straight quarters of slowdown.

"Any indication that the Chinese economy is starting to perk up is helping the markets," said Youssef Zohny, portfolio manager at Stenner Investment Partners, a unit of Richardson GMP, in Vancouver.

"We're going to see fits and starts. There's probably not going to be a straight line. But in the medium term, there's some good momentum," he added.

At midafternoon, the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was up 68.04 points, or 0.54 percent, at 12,590.28. The index's 10 main sectors were all higher.

The energy sector was up 0.3 percent as Brent crude oil prices reached a 12-week high on the Chinese data and on news that Saudi Arabia was cutting its crude oil production.. In the group, Suncor Energy Inc rose 0.9 percent to C$33.58.

"We don't think it's going to be a blockbuster year, but it could be a better year for energy stocks in particular, and hopefully some material stocks," said Michael Sprung, president of Sprung Investment Management.

Financials rose 0.2 percent, with Bank of Nova Scotia gaining 0.4 percent to C$57.84.