U.S. stocks rose modestly in choppy trade on Tuesday as investors gauged inflation data and braced for quarterly earnings reports to justify stock valuations and the strength of the U.S. economy. Stocks received an initial lift after a Labor Department report showed the producer price index rose less than expected in December,

U.S. stocks dropped on worries that good news on the job market may prove to be bad for Wall Street by keeping inflation and interest rates high. The S&P 500 fell 1.5% Friday.

Most U.S. stocks are rising on Tuesday following an encouraging update on inflation, but drops for Eli Lilly and some other influential companies are keeping indexes in check. The S&P 500 was 0.1% higher in morning trading,