U.S. Stocks Gain For Third Day With S&P 500 At Highest Close Since December

U.S. stocks rose for a third day with the S&P 500 finishing at its highest close since December as oil prices remained firm and economic data pointed to a steady recovery. May WTI crude settled at $42.63 a barrel, its highest of the year. Investors were also heartened by data that showed existing home sales rebounding in March. The S&P 500 rose 1.6 points to close at 2,102.40, the highest since it finished at 2,102.63 on Dec. 1. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 42.67 points, or 0.2%, to end at 18,096.27 and the Nasdaq gained 7.80 points, or 0.2%, to finish at 4,948.13.