Most U.S. stocks rose following an encouraging update on inflation, but drops for Eli Lilly and some other influential stocks kept indexes in check

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 are ticking higher following an encouraging update on inflation. The S&P 500 rose 0.4% in early trading Tuesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 163 points, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.