US stocks rose in choppy trading on Tuesday, closing out a weak month for equities as a pair of positive data surprises on the consumer and housing fronts helped ease investor anxiety over the economy's strength. For the month, the Dow is down 4 percent, while the S&P is off 4.5 percent and the Nasdaq is down 5.8 percent.
The Dow Jones industrial average was up 31.97 points, or 0.32 percent, at 10,041.70. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 2.47 points, or 0.24 percent, at 1,051.39. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 0.97 of a point, or 0.05 percent, at 2,120.94. Before rebounding, the S&P 500 neared 1,040 in early trading, a key support level that was successfully defended twice last week.