US Stocks Rise on Oil Rally and Bank Earnings

US Stocks rose Wednesday as shares of energy companies climbed with the price of oil and earnings reports offered fresh signs of profitability at banks.

    US oil prices reached their highest level in more than a year after another week of falling stockpiles indicated that a longstanding glut could be waning. Meanwhile, better-than-expected results from Morgan Stanley and Halliburton on Wednesday helped lift the S&P 500 to a second consecutive day of gains for the first time in nearly two weeks. 

    The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 40.68 points, or 0.2%, to 18202.62. The S&P 500 increased 4.69 points, or 0.2%, to 2144.29. The Nasdaq Composite advanced 2.58 points, or less than 0.1%, to 5246.41