Stocks eke out modest gains as focus turns to US earnings

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks were steadily higher in early trading Tuesday, as investors worked through the first batch of earnings from the first quarter of the year.

Alcoa also had a huge drop in first-quarter profit as aluminum prices dropped.

Analysts surveyed by FactSet expect corporate profits to be down 9.1 percent from a year ago, hurt primarily by the steep drop in oil prices and other commodities.

Crude prices will also be a key point of interest in financial markets ahead of further U.S. inventory data and this Sunday's meeting of oil producers in Doha, Qatar.