By Fergal Smith

Canada's main stock index slightly added to its quarterly gain on Tuesday, as financial and technology shares rose and after domestic data showed the economy expanding faster than expected in April.

The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX Composite Index TSX:TSX ended up 33.17 points, or 0.1%, at 34,856.99.

For the second quarter, the index was up 6.4%, marking its eighth straight quarterly advance, the longest such stretch since 1996. Still, it lagged the 14.9% gain for the S&P 500 CBOE:SPX, the U.S. benchmark.

  • "The Canadian market, for the most part, has been largely earnings driven," said Angelo Kourkafas, senior global investment strategist at Edward Jones Investments.

  • "It has lagged U.S. and some other indices because of its commodities tilt. But markets are ready to enter a new quarter from a solid footing."

  • Financials (.SPTTFS), health care TSX:TTHC and technology TSX:TTTK led the TSX's quarterly advance, while the materials group TSX:TTMT, which includes metal mining shares, and energy TSX:TTEN posted declines.

  • Canada's gross domestic product increased 0.5% in April from March, marking the largest monthly expansion in nine months and allaying concerns that a tariff-led slowdown in the economy was getting more entrenched.

  • The U.S. was expected to formally declare on Wednesday that it will not extend the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade, starting a decade-long clock to wind down the 32-year-old North American free trade zone as the three countries haggle over proposed changes.

  • Technology rose 0.9% on Tuesday, led by a gain of 6.2% for the shares of electronic equipment company Celestica Inc TSX:CLS.

  • Heavily weighted financials added 0.8%, while the materials group was up 0.6% as copper prices (HGc1) rose.

  • The price of oil NYMEX:CL1! settled 1.8% lower at $69.50 a barrel and has given up nearly all of its advance since the start of the U.S.-Iran war at the end of February.

  • Energy dipped 0.2% and consumer staples (.GSPTTCS) ended 1.1% lower.

  • The TSX is set to be closed on Wednesday for Canada Day.