Canada's main stock index was up nearly 250 points Tuesday, swept up by a reversal in oil prices and broad-based gains, while U.S. markets also rose.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index was up 242.88 points, or 1.22 per cent, at 20,220.01.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 397.82 points at 34,098.10. The S&P 500 Index was up 53.64 points at 4,003.58, while the Nasdaq Composite was up 149.90 at 11,174.41.

The Canadian dollar traded for 74.65 cents U.S. compared with 74.34 cents U.S. on Monday.

The January crude oil contract was up 91 cents at US$80.95 and the January natural gas contract was up 18 cents at US$7.41 per mmBTU.

The December gold contract was up 30 cents at $1,739.90 an ounce, and the December copper contract was up four cents at US$3.61 a pound.