S&P 500 posts best two-day advance in a month

Stocks rose on Tuesday, giving the S&P 500 its best two-day advance in a month as strong earnings from Johnson & Johnson and other bellwether companies raised hopes for the rest of the U.S. reporting season.

The Dow Jones industrial average shot up 127.55 points, or 0.95 percent, to end unofficially at 13,551.78. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index gained 14.79 points, or 1.03 percent, to close unofficially at 1,454.92. The Nasdaq Composite Index rose 36.99 points, or 1.21 percent, to finish unofficially at 3,101.17.

(Reporting by Angela Moon; Editing by Jan Paschal)