Strength in base metal stocks helped lead modest but broad-based gains on Canada's main stock index, while U.S. markets ticked higher.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index closed up 85.85 points, or 0.41 per cent, at 20,957.74.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 141.24 points at 38,521.36. The S&P 500 Index was up 11.42 points at 4,954.23, while the Nasdaq Composite was up 11.32 points at 15,609.00.

The Canadian dollar traded for 74.04 cents U.S. compared with 73.93 cents on Monday.

The March crude oil contract was up 53 cents at US$73.31 per barrel and the March natural gas contract was down seven cents at US$2.01 per mm/BTU.

The April gold contract was up US$8.50 at US$2,051.40 an ounce and the March copper contract was up one cent at US$3.78 a pound.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 6, 2024.