The Toronto stock market was higher with traders cautious amid higher borrowing costs for Spain and an unsettling downgrade by Moody's Investor Services.
The S&P/TSX composite index gained 14.75 points to 11,560.3 while the Canadian dollar ticked 0.03 of a cent higher to 98.38 cents US.
U.S. markets were generally lower, The Dow Jones industrial average fell 37 points to 12,683 in early trading Tuesday. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 fell three points to 1,348. The Nasdaq composite fell four points to 2,886.
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Confidence about Spain's ability to deal with its finances has taken a beating, with the country forced to pay ever higher yields in order to finance its debt.
Adding to market caution was a move by Moody's Investor Services to lower the outlook on Germany's triple-A rating to negative from stable due to mounting uncertainties from the euro-zone debt crisis.
Oil rose 26 cents to $88.40 (U.S.) a barrel.
With files from AP