BUSINESS BRIEF

Stocks surge, get boost from health care gains

1/8/2014
BLADE NEWS SERVICES

NEW YORK — Stocks rallied Tuesday, ending a slump that had ushered in the New Year.

The Standard and Poor’s 500 index rose 11.11 points, or 0.6 percent, the most in three weeks, led by gains for health care stocks.

After three straight declines, the S&P 500 would have matched its worst opening of a year since 1978 had it closed lower for a fourth day.

The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 105.84 points, or 0.6 percent, to 16,530.94 The Nasdaq composite gained 39.50 points, or 1 percent, to 4,153.18.