Solid corporate earnings drive stocks higher in early trade; Comcast, Lockheed among gainers

U.S. stocks are moving higher in early trading as more companies turn in solid earnings reports.

Comcast rose 1.3 percent after reporting higher profits than investors were expecting. The giant cable TV company signed up more subscribers for Internet service.

Defense contractor Lockheed Martin rose 2 percent after the company's income and revenue beat analysts' forecasts.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose eight points, or 0.4 percent, to 1,982 in early trading Tuesday.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 56 points, or 0.3 percent, to 17,108 points. The Nasdaq composite rose 28 points, or 0.6 percent, to 4,452.

European markets rose. The DAX in Germany and the CAC-40 in France both rose 1 percent.

Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.48 percent.