US stocks climbed on Tuesday, briefly hitting 2009 highs after strong housing and consumer confidence data, while Ben Bernanke's renomination as Fed chairman ended uncertainty about the central bank's leadership as the economy recovers. Consumer confidence increased more than expected in August, the Conference Board said, while the S&P/Case-Shiller home price index rose in June for a second straight month.
Home builders' shares ranked among the top performers, with Lennar Corp up 5.4 percent at $15.36 and KB Home up 5.2 percent at $18.41. The Dow Jones US Home Construction index rose 4.5 percent. The consumer confidence data helped drive retail stocks higher. Solid earnings from women's clothing retailer Chico's FAS Inc, up 7.8 percent at $12.82, and close-out retailer Big-Lots Inc, up 7.8 percent at $25.91, also bolstered that sector.
The S&P Retail Index gained 2 percent. The Dow Jones industrial average gained 51.17 points, or 0.54 percent, to 9,560.45. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index rose 5.15 points, or 0.50 percent, to 1,030.72. The Nasdaq Composite Index added 9.41 points, or 0.47 percent, to 2,027.39.
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