US stocks closed higher Tuesday on better-than-expected corporate results which lifted the S&P 500 to its biggest advance since September.

    The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 75.54 points, or 0.4%, to 18161.94. The S&P 500 gained 13.10, or 0.6%, to 2139.60. The Nasdaq Composite rose 44.01, or 0.8%, 5243.84.