Wednesday

Stocks gained for the second day in a row, boosted by strong profit reports and economic data that reinforced investors' newfound preference for the U.S. over Europe as a venue to put their money to work. That attitude boosted the dollar as well, marking a rare instance of the currency rallying in tandem with stocks and some commodities. The Yen also gained today as the Euro and Pound fell slightly. DJIA +40.43 Nasdaq +12.10 S&P 500 +4.64.