Stocks end higher on earnings optimism

The stock market is getting its momentum back.

The major indexes rose for a fourth straight day Tuesday, and the biggest gains were in riskier small-company stocks and sectors that do best when the economy is growing.

Traders have grown more confident after Friday's strong jobs reports and on expectations of record corporate earnings for the second quarter, which ended June 30. So far, the stock market is up nearly 3 percent in July following a 1.5 percent dip in June.

The Russell 2000, an index of small-company stocks, rose nearly 1 percent Tuesday. The Dow Jones transportation average, seen as a leading indicator for the broader economy, led all indexes with a 2.26 percent rise. The gains suggest investors are getting more confident about the economy's prospects.

The Russell 2000 rose 8.80 points to 1,018.05. It has gained 4.2 percent in July and is moving deeper into record territory. The index has risen 20 percent this year, more than its large-company counterparts, the Dow Jones industrial average and the Standard & Poor's 500 index.

The Dow rose 75.65 points to 15,300.34. The S&P 500 rose 0.72 percent to 1,652.32. The Nasdaq composite index rose 0.56 percent to 3,504.26.

-- AP