Tuesday

Stocks continued their advance today as investors drew encouragement from Microsoft's $8.5 billion deal for Skype Technologies and from signs of strength in the global economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended up .6%, its biggest point and percentage gain in nearly two weeks. Microsoft's deal for Skype boosted hopes for further consolidation among technology companies, although the Windows maker's stock shed 16 cents after announcing its most expensive deal ever. Stocks stayed higher after data showed U.S. wholesalers stockpiled goods in March as sales rose strongly, suggesting some improvement in an economy that slowed early this year. DJIA +75.68 Nasdaq +28.64 S&P 500 +10.87.