US Stocks: Tuesday's mid-afternoon trade

US stocks gained on Tuesday, as investors bought shares in sectors seen likely to withstand a slowdown in growth following reports pointing to further weakness in housing. Even with the gains, investors remained skittish about possible fallout from the subprime mortgage market, in addition to rising benchmark bond yields.
Altria Group, the parent of cigarette maker Philip Morris USA, led the Dow's advance, with a 1.7 percent gain to $69.93, followed by drugmaker Merck & Co, up 2.1 percent at $49.37.
A drop in oil prices also lent some support to stocks. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 34.30 points, or 0.25 percent, at 13,386.35. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 0.35 of a point, or 0.02 percent, at 1,498.09. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 3.77 points, or 0.15 percent, at 2,580.85.