Canada's main stock index posted a modest gain on Tuesday, while U.S. markets rose after the latest data on inflation.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index closed up 61.81 points, or 0.28 per cent, at 21,831.02.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 235.83 points at 39,005.49. The S&P 500 Index was up 57.33 points at 5,175.27, while the Nasdaq Composite was up 246.36 points at 16,265.64.

The Canadian dollar traded for 74.08 cents U.S. compared with 74.12 cents U.S. on Monday.

The April crude oil contract was down 37 cents at US$77.56 per barrel and the April natural gas contract was down five cents at US$1.71 per mm/BTU.

The April gold contract was down US$22.50 at US$2,166.10 an ounce and the May copper contract was down less than a penny at US$3.93 a pound.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 12, 2024.