Toronto stocks barely made it into positive ground today despite solid improvement among technology issues. It seems many investors are sitting on the sidelines as they watch a week filled with corporate earnings. The Toronto Stock Exchange S&P/TSX composite index finished ahead 7.47 points, or 0.09%, at 8,702.82.

The information technology group rose nearly 2%, leading all sectors. Telecommunications equipment provider Nortel Networks Corp. rose 34¢, or 4.66%, to $7.64, while Research In Motion added $5.22, or 3.86%, at $140.62. Celestica Inc., which is scheduled to report earnings on Thursday, rose 52¢, or 2.4%, to $22.12. Sierra Wireless reported a stronger first-quarter profit, but bucked the upward trend and slumped $10.50, or 18.58%, to $46.00. Analysts were expecting better results.

Number two today was the health-care. Those stocks added 0.3%. However, only four of the TSX’s 10 subindexes ended higher. Market momentum was negative as 656 issues declined and 640 advanced. Volume during the session was light as 204 million shares valued at $2.3 billion changed hands.

The S&P/TSX composite index added 0.34 points, or 0.07%, to close at 482.42. The Canadian Venture Exchange fell 16.27 points to 1,800.79.

South of the border, U.S. tech stocks rose after a four consecutive losing sessions left prices attractive. But, similar to Canada, gains were modest.The Nasdaq composite index ended up 24.66 points, or 1.24%, at 2,020.40. The S & P 500 Index added a mere 1.23 points, or 0.11%, to 1,135.84. The Dow Jones industrial average slid 14.12 points, or 0.14%, to 10,437.85.