Toronto stocks ended slightly higher Tuesday as earlier gains largely melted away. The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 11.52 points, 0.12%, at 9,427.65.

Although 8 of the 10 TSX main groups advanced, the information technology group fell 1.1%..

Research in Motion dropped $3.73 to $81.55; Celestica fell 37¢ to $14.77.

Nortel Networks slipped 2¢ to $3.41, giving back all of its gains in the final hour of trading. The telecom equipment supplier announced its first acquisition in more than four years – a US$448 million deal for PEC Solutions.

Stronger commodity prices led to higher profits for Noranda, Teck Cominco, Shell Canada and Fording Canadian Coal Trust.

Noranda added 7¢ to $23.93; Shell rose $1.25 to $86.90; Teck gained 55¢ to $42.05; but Fording fell $1.65 to $115.20.

Petro-Canada dropped 65¢ to $71.35 after it reported hedging losses had cut back its quarterly profit by 77%.

Rogers Communications added $1.24 to $34.49 as it reported higher profits and revenues across all its media lines.

Cinram climbed $1.95 to $26.25 as investors liked the idea of its possible conversion to an income trust.

The TSX Group also reported stronger earnings on busier trading. Its shares rose 45¢ to $62.10.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index fell 7.93 points, or 0.45%, to close at 1,735.33.

In New York, U.S. markets were hit by an afternoon slide as disappointing consumer confidence numbers rattled investors.

The Dow Jones industrial average fell 91.34 points, or 0.89%, to close at 10151.13.

The Nasdaq composite index slid 23.40 points, or 1.20%, to end at 1,927.40.

The S&P 500 index fell 10.36 points, or 1.38%, to close at 1,151.74.