Stocks are closing with solid gains Tuesday, led by health care companies and banks. The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 168 points, or 1%, to 17,888. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 22 points, or 1.1%, to 2,102. The Nasdaq composite rose 47 points, or 0.9%, to 5,156.
Health insurer UnitedHealth Group rose 3%, the most in the Dow. Merck also rose 3%. Bank stocks rose as investors hoped that higher interest rates could be on the way, which would allow banks to earn more from loaning money. Bank of America rose 2%. Bond prices rose. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 2.15%. (More Dow Jones stories.)