Toronto stocks closed marginally higher Tuesday, as technology shares pulled the market forward in an otherwise lacklustre session.

The S&P/TSX composite index gained 5.34 points, or 0.05%, to close 10,367.89.

Volume on the senior exchange was 208 million shares.

The Canadian dollar fell against a resurgent U.S. greenback after the People’s Bank of China released a statement saying that foreign media had overstated China’s intention to allow the yuan to appreciate against the U.S. dollar.

The loonie finished at US81.33¢, down 0.74 of a cent.

Six of the 10 TSX main sub-groups were up on the day, with the information technology sector up 1.42%.

Research in Motion Inc. gained $2.13, or 3.13%, to close $70.13.

Light sweet crude for September delivery settled up 20¢ US to $59.20 US a barrel. The energy sector ended the session flat.

UTS Energy Corp. fell 7¢, or 2.01%, to close $3.41.

Earnings disappointments also sent some stocks lower.

Inco shares were rattled after the nickel miner said higher energy costs and lower output could leave its 2005 earnings per share short of earlier estimates.

Shares of Inco dropped $1.54, or nearly 3%, to $50.38.

Teck Cominco, whose earnings late on Monday missed analysts’ expectations, dropped $1.89, or 3.9%, to $46.60.

Fairmont Hotels and Resorts fell $1.19, or 2.8%, to $40.82 as the company’s weaker outlook for the year overshadowed a higher second-quarter profit.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index finished down 7.91, or 0.45%, to close 1,764.98.

In New York, markets were decidedly mixed as investors factored in the impact of slightly higher oil prices against strong corporate earnings.

The blue chip Dow Jones industrial average lost 16.71 points, or 0.16%, to close 10,579.77; the tech heavy Nasdaq composite index ifted 9.25, or 0.43%, to close 2,175.99; and the broad based S&P 500 gained 2.13, or 0.17%, to close 1,231.16.